heldr

Old Norse

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *haldiz, comparative of an adjective corresponding to Old High German halto (“much”). Cognates include Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌹𐍃 (haldis, “more, rather”) and Old High German halt (“much more”) (> German halt). According to Duden, ultimately related to *halþaz (“inclined, sloping”).[1]

Adverb

heldr

  1. rather
    That is rather difficult.
    Es þat heldr vant.
    • c. 954, Anonymous, Eiríksmál, stanza 6:
      ‘Hví es þér Eireks vǫ́n / heldr an annarra konunga?’
      ‘Því at mǫrgu landi / hann hefr mæki roðit
      ok blóðugt sverð borit.
      “Why do you expect Eric, rather than other kings?” — “Because in many a land, he has reddened the blade, and a bloody sword borne.”
Derived terms
Descendants
  • Icelandic: heldur
  • Faroese: heldur
  • Norwegian: hell, helda, helde, hæller (dialectal)
  • Old Swedish: hælder, hældar, hæller, haller, hellirs
  • Danish: heller

References

  1. ^ “heldr” in Duden online

Further reading

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

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

heldr

  1. inflection of halda:
    1. second-person singular present indicative
    2. third-person singular present indicative
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