hamingja

English

Noun

hamingja (plural hamingjas)

  1. (Norse mythology) A female guardian angel in Norse mythology, believed to accompany a person and decide their luck and happiness.

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse hamingja.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈhaːmiɲca/

Noun

hamingja f (genitive singular hamingju, no plural)

  1. happiness
    Synonym: sæla
  2. luck, fortune
    Synonyms: gæfa, heill, gifta

Declension

Declension of hamingja (sg-only feminine)
singular
indefinite definite
nominative hamingja hamingjan
accusative hamingju hamingjuna
dative hamingju hamingjunni
genitive hamingju hamingjunnar

Derived terms

Old Norse

Etymology

From an earlier *ham-gengja (“that which goes around in a case or wrapping”), composed of the same elements underlying hamr (“skin, shape”) +‎ ganga (“to go, walk”) (see also gengi (“luck, help”)).[1] Hamingjas were "shapewalker" guardian spirits in Norse mythology who would accompany people and determine their luck.

Noun

hamingja f

  1. luck
  2. guardian spirit, hamingja

Declension

Declension of hamingja (weak jōn-stem)
feminine singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative hamingja hamingjan hamingjur hamingjurnar
accusative hamingju hamingjuna hamingjur hamingjurnar
dative hamingju hamingjunni hamingjum hamingjunum
genitive hamingju hamingjunnar hamingja hamingjanna

Synonyms

Descendants

  • Icelandic: hamingja
  • Danish: hamingje

References

  1. ^ de Vries, Jan (1977) “hamingja”, in Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Old Norse Etymological Dictionary]‎[1] (in German), 2nd revised edition, Leiden: Brill, page 207

Further reading

  • Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “hamingja”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive
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