níðingr

Old Norse

Alternative forms

  • ᚾᛁᚦᛁᚴᛦ (niþikʀ /⁠niðiŋʀ, nithingr⁠/)
  • niþingr

Etymology

By surface analysis, níð +‎ -ingr. Earliest record from the 11th century, in the form of the runic genitive inflection ᚾᛁᚦᛁᚴᛋ (niþiks /⁠niðiŋs, nid͡hin͡gs⁠/). Cognate of English nithing, among more.

Noun

níðingr n

  1. (vulgar, derogatory, offensive) shameful dishonorable coward
  2. (law) harsh criminal, villain, scoundrel, vile wretch, apostate (guilty of apostasy; dishonesty), in relation to crimes of honor, honesty and thereof; originally an outlaw (criminal excluded from legal rights, who can be killed at will without legal penalty)

Derived terms

  • níðingskapr
  • níðingsnafn
  • níðingsorð
  • níðingsráð
  • níðingssǫk
  • níðingsverk
  • níðingsvíg

Descendants

  • Icelandic: níðingur
  • Old Danish: nithing
  • Old Swedish: niþinger, niðinger, nidhinger, nidinger
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