Heimdall

American

[heym-dahl] / ˈheɪmˌdɑl /

Also Heimdal,

noun

Scandinavian Mythology.

the god of dawn and light.

Heimdall British

/ ˈheɪmˌdɑːl, ˈheɪmˌdɑːlə /

noun

Norse myth the god of light and the dawn, and the guardian of the rainbow bridge Bifrost

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Heimdall

< Old Norse Heimdallr, equivalent to heim ( r ) home, world + dallr, perhaps cognate with Old English deall bold, renowned

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I didn’t consciously want to sound like Heimdall too much.

From New York Times • Apr. 8, 2022

He played Heimdall in "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Thor."

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2015

So is Heimdall the Watchman, played by Idris Elba with a good deal more panache than he was allowed to infuse into his starring role this year as Nelson Mandela.

From Time • Nov. 6, 2013

Unfortunately, Jones' character is named Thrall although it's doubtful that a Heimdall of any color would bar his entrance into Valhalla when the time comes.

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2011

He will he still and cold beside Heimdall on the frozen battlefield.

From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023