Kennings
Kennings are circumlocutions where two nouns (as a compound or genitive(s)) refer to a third, unspoken noun. Elements can be substituted with further kennings. There are around 10,000 kennings in the corpus, most of which are unique. This is a list of the kennings in the published volumes, grouped according to Meissner’s categories where applicable.
E.g. (random): Garmr elris — ‘The hound of the alder-tree’ = FIRE — in Sturl Hryn 11II
(All extended (rekit) kennings with four or more referents in the published edition)
- nausta blakks hlémána gífrs drífu gimsløngvir
‘fire-slinger of the storm of the troll-woman of the shielding moon of the horse of boathouses’
= WARRIOR
the horse of boathouses → SHIP
the shielding moon of the SHIP → SHIELD
the troll-woman of the SHIELD → AXE
the storm of the AXE → BATTLE
the fire of the BATTLE → SWORD
the slinger of the SWORD → WARRIOR
ÞSjár Þórdr 1I - Heita dýrbliks dynsæðinga hungrdeyfi
‘hunger-soother of the din-gulls of the beast-gleam of Heiti’
= WARRIOR
the beast of Heiti → SHIP
the gleam of the SHIP → SHIELD
the din of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the gulls of the BATTLE → RAVENS/EAGLES
the hunger-soother of RAVENS/EAGLES → WARRIOR
Hfr ErfÓl 18I - bǫr leygs gráps gǫtu gunnvita.
‘the tree of the flame of the hail-storm of the path of the battle-beacon. ’
= WARRIOR
the battle-beacon. → SWORD
the path of the SWORD → SHIELD
the hail-storm of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the flame of the BATTLE → SWORD
the tree of the SWORD → WARRIOR
Þloft Tøgdr 8I - herði nauðar skafls jarðar hauðrs run*kykva,
‘the strengthener of the distress of the quickeners of the stream of the land of the snow-drift of the earth, ’
= Þórr
the snow-drift of the earth, → RIDGE
the land of the RIDGE → MOUNTAIN
the stream of the MOUNTAIN → RIVER
the quickeners of the RIVER → GIANTESSES
the strengthener of the distress of GIANTESSES → Þórr
Eil Þdr 9III - Eyðir lýsibliks lands skævaðar branda,
‘The destroyer of the bright flash of the land of the high-strider of planks, ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the high-strider of planks, → SHIP
the land of the SHIP → SEA
the bright flash of the SEA → GOLD
The destroyer of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
Anon Gyð 5VII - varrelgs veg- elds -runnar
‘way-trees of the fire of the wake-elk’
= MEN
the wake- elk → SHIP
the way of the SHIP → SEA
the fire of the SEA → GOLD
the trees of the GOLD → MEN
Anon Leið 10VII - fríðum jǫfra heiðar galdrs hlíðrœkjanda;
‘slope-cultivator of the chant of the chieftains of the heath’
= MAN
the chieftains of the heath; → GIANTS
the chant of GIANTS → GOLD
the slope of the GOLD → WOMAN
the handsome cultivator of the WOMAN → MAN
ESk Lv 2II - stafns hrafna fletbalkar dynbeiði.
‘din-requester of the house-partition of the horses of the stem’
= WARRIOR = Skopti
the horses of the stem. → SHIPS
the house-partition of SHIPS → SHIELD
the din of the SHIELD → BATTLE
requester of the BATTLE → WARRIOR = Skopti
Edáð Banddr 2I - Oddhríðar lœgis logfágandi
‘flame-custodian of the sea of the point-storm’
= WARRIOR
the point -storm → BATTLE
the sea of the BATTLE → BLOOD
the flame of the BLOOD → SWORD
The custodian of the SWORD → WARRIOR
Edáð Banddr 6I - Valgrindar Gefnar veðrheyjandi,
‘storm-enacter of the Gefn of the slaughter-gate’
= WARRIOR = Hákon
the slaughter -gate, → SHIELD
the Gefn of the SHIELD → VALKYRIE
the storm of the VALKYRIE → BATTLE
The enacter of the BATTLE → WARRIOR = Hákon
Eyv Lv 4I - glaðr láðvaldr glóða hróts leiptra
‘land-ruler of the fires of the roof of lightnings’
= God
the roof of lightnings → SKY/HEAVEN
the fires of the SKY/HEAVEN → HEAVENLY BODIES
the land of HEAVENLY BODIES → SKY/HEAVEN
the glad ruler of the SKY/HEAVEN → God
Gamlkan Has 53VII - Almdrósar eisu élrunnr
‘storm-bush of the fire of the bow-woman’
= WARRIOR = Hákon
the bow -woman → VALKYRIE
the fire of the VALKYRIE → SWORD
the storm of the SWORD → BATTLE
The bush of the BATTLE → WARRIOR = Hákon
Gsind Hákdr 2I - vápnunduðum Nirði víðra landa sunda valbrands.
‘the weapon-wounded Njǫrðr of the wide lands of the inlets of the slaughter-fire.’
= WARRIOR = Guthormr Eiríksson
the slaughter -fire. → SWORD
the inlets of the SWORD → BLOOD
the wide lands of the BLOOD → SHIELDS
the weapon-wounded Njǫrðr of SHIELDS → WARRIOR = Guthormr Eiríksson
Gsind Hákdr 6I - Rjóðr stirðaurriða storðar hjaldrdrifs,
‘Reddener of the stiff trout of the land of the battle-blizzard, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -blizzard, → ARROWS
the land of ARROWS → SHIELD
the stiff trout of the SHIELD → SWORD
Reddener of the SWORD → WARRIOR
Játg Lv 1II - Heðins manþinga serkjar merkjendr
‘of Heðinn’s maiden-assembly’
= WARRIORS
Heðinn’s maiden → Hildr
the assembly of HILDR → BATTLE
the shirt of the BATTLE → ARMOUR
stainers of the ARMOUR → WARRIORS
ÞjóðA Magnfl 8II - vátt vagna myrkbeins reinar Haka
‘the knower of killer whales of the dark bone of the land of Haki ’
= GIANT = Hrungnir
the land of Haki → SEA
the dark bone of the SEA → ROCK
killer whales of the ROCK → GIANTS
the knower of GIANTS → GIANT = Hrungnir
Þjóð Haustl 16III - allnôttfǫrull marr vífs Yggjar áleggjar
‘ever prowling by night, the steed of the wife of the Yggr of the river-limb ’
= WOLF
the river- limb → ROCK
the Yggr of the ROCK → GIANT
the wife of the GIANT → GIANTESS
ever prowling by night, the steed of GIANTESS → WOLF
Arn Magndr 11II - Sárir verkendr meginserkjar baugs naddfárs
‘Wounded workers of the mighty shirt of the ring of point-harm ’
= WARRIORS
point -harm → BATTLE
the ring of the BATTLE → SHIELD
the mighty shirt of the SHIELD → MAIL-SHIRT
Wounded workers of the MAIL-SHIRT → WARRIORS
Hfr ErfÓl 10I - elfar skíðs sólar hreggdrauga
‘storm-logs of the sun of the ski of the river’
= WARRIORS
the ski of the river → SHIP
the sun of the SHIP → SHIELD
the storm of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the logs of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
ÞHjalt Lv 1I - Hraustr stýrir stalls støkkvifúra þeys hlífar
‘The bold controller of the stand of scattering flames of the breeze of the shield ’
= WARRIOR
the breeze of the shield → BATTLE
scattering flames of the BATTLE → SWORDS
the stand of SWORDS → SHIELD
The bold controller of the SHIELD → WARRIOR
Anon Óldr 12I - frœknan benja vala fenskúfs fœði
‘feeder of the fen-skua of the falcons of wounds’
= WARRIOR
the falcons of wounds, → RAVENS/EAGLES
the fen of RAVENS/EAGLES → BLOOD
the skua of the BLOOD → RAVEN/EAGLE
the valiant feeder of the RAVEN/EAGLE → WARRIOR
Anon Óldr 27I - Beiti-Nirðir snáka bráðar hauka bǫðvar
‘The brandishing-Nirðir of the snakes of the meat of hawks of battle ’
= WARRIORS
hawks of battle → RAVENS/EAGLES
the meat of RAVENS/EAGLES → CORPSES
the snakes of CORPSES → SWORDS
The brandishing-Nirðir of SWORDS → WARRIORS
RvHbreiðm Hl 73III - Skǫglar borðs skelfihríðar skýbjóðs.
‘cloud-offerer of the terrifying storm of the board of Skǫgul’
= WARRIOR
the board of Skǫgul. → SHIELD
the terrifying storm of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the cloud of the BATTLE → SHIELD
offerer of the SHIELD → WARRIOR
HSt Rst 29I - stirðra branda storms harðleygs styrlund*
‘tumult-tree of the hard flame of the storm of rigid blades’
= WARRIOR
the storm of rigid blades → BATTLE
the hard flame of the BATTLE → SWORD
the tumult of the SWORD → BATTLE
the tree of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
HSt Rst 29I - h*eggi mála Eldis steðja áar.
‘to the cherry-tree of the speeches of the Eldir of the anvil of the river. ’
= MAN
the anvil of the river. → STONE
the Eldir of the STONE → GIANT
the speeches of the GIANT → GOLD
to the cherry-tree of the GOLD → MAN
Anon (SnE) 10III - Gymis vagna mótrǫðuls magnendr
‘empowerers of the clash-sun of the wagons of Gymir’
= WARRIORS
the wagons of Gymir → SHIPS
the clash of SHIPS → SHIELD
the sun of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the empowerers of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
Tindr Hákdr 2I - sævar viggja* vegg*s veðreggjǫndum
‘weather-inciters of the wall of the horses of the sea’
= WARRIORS
the horses of the sea → SHIPS
the wall of SHIPS → SHIELD
the weather of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the inciters of the BATTLE → WARRIORS
Tindr Hákdr 6I - hertýs vín-Gnóðar austr
‘bilge-water of the wine-Gnóð of the army-god’
= POEM
the army -god → Óðinn
the wine of ÓÐINN → POEM
the Gnóð of the POEM → VAT
the bilge-water of the VAT → POEM
Eskál Vell 5I - Þróttr þvergarða glyggs gunnranns,
‘the Þróttr of the cross-fences of the storm of the battle-hall, ’
= WARRIOR
the battle -hall, → SHIELD
the storm of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the cross-fences of the BATTLE → SHIELD
the Þróttr of the SHIELD → WARRIOR
Sigv ErfÓl 17I - rausnarsamr Gripnis ríðviggs gnapsólar gnýstœrandi
‘noise-increaser of the jutting sun of the riding horse of Gripnir’
= WARRIOR
the riding horse of Gripnir → SHIP
the jutting sun of the SHIP → SHIELD
the noise of the SHIELD → BATTLE
the magnificent increaser of the BATTLE → WARRIOR
Þhorn Gldr 1I - sendi orða myrk-Danar beina grœnnar Hlóðynjar.
‘the distributor of the words of the dark-Dane of the bones of green Hlóðyn. ’
= GENEROUS MAN
the bones of green Hlóðyn. → ROCKS
the dark-Dane of ROCKS → GIANT
the words of the GIANT → GOLD
the distributor of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
VSt Erf 2III - ramar veigar salar Fals brautar fannar,
‘for the powerful drinks of the hall of the Falr of the path of the snow-drift, ’
= POETRY
the path of the snow-drift, → MOUNTAINS
the Falr of MOUNTAINS → GIANT = Suttungr
the hall of the GIANTSUTTUNGR → CAVE
for the powerful drinks of the CAVE → POETRY
Refr Giz 3III - Víðblinda galtar salts svalteigar rafkastandi
‘amber-thrower of the salty, cool meadow of the boar of Víðblindi’
= GENEROUS MAN
the boar of Víð blindi → WHALE
the salty, cool meadow of the WHALE → SEA
the amber of the SEA → GOLD
The thrower of the GOLD → GENEROUS MAN
HSt Frag 3III - Herblótinn hneitir kalfa undirfjalfrs bliku alfheims
‘The people-worshipped vanquisher of the calves of the low hiding-place of the gleam of the elf-world ’
= Þórr
the gleam of the elf -world → SUN
the low hiding-place of the SUN → CAVE
the calves of the CAVE → GIANTS
The people-worshipped vanquisher of GIANTS → Þórr
Eil Þdr 21III - menn legs mœrar fjarðeplis
‘the men of the lair of the land of the fjord-apple ’
= GIANTS
the fjord -apple → STONE
the land of the STONE → MOUNTAINS
the lair of MOUNTAINS → CAVE
the men of the CAVE → GIANTS
Eil Þdr 16III
Close
Kenning referents
This page gives a list of kenning referents using Meissner’s categories (translated into English) and supplemented with some additional referents not used by Meissner. It excludes kennings with referents that are named beings or persons.
Clicking on an item in the list will give all published kennings under that category.