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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Note to Þul Elds 4III

[4] geiri (m.) ‘flare’: This is an obscure word. Several explanations of this name have been suggested. According to AEW: geiri 2, the word may mean ‘greedy’ (cf. ModIcel. gírugr and the fire heiti freki ‘greedy one’, st. 3/1 above). Alternatively, it may be connected with the weak verb geisa (< *gaizan-) ‘rage, storm’ (cf. Faroese geisa ‘beam’). However, it cannot be excluded that the fire-heiti geiri is the same word as geiri ‘triangular piece of land, triangular piece of clothing’ (ÍO: geiri 2). If so, the heiti may refer to a tongue of flame.

References

  1. Bibliography
  2. AEW = Vries, Jan de. 1962. Altnordisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. 2nd rev. edn. Rpt. 1977. Leiden: Brill.
  3. ÍO = Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon. 1989. Íslensk orðsifjabók. Reykjavík: Orðabók Háskólans.

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