Viking

American  

[vahy-king] / ˈvaɪ kɪŋ /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

• Vikings
  plural

1. any of the Scandinavian pirates who plundered the coasts of Europe from the 8th to 10th centuries.

2. a sea-roving bandit; pirate.

3. a Scandinavian.

4. U.S. Aerospace. one of a series of space probes that obtained scientific information about Mars.

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Viking British  

/ ˈvaɪkɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called: Norseman, Northman. any of the Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes who raided by sea most of N and W Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries, later often settling, as in parts of Britain

2. any sea rover, plunderer, or pirate

3. either of two unmanned American spacecraft that reached Mars in 1976

4. (modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of a Viking or Vikings

   a Viking ship

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Vikings
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of Viking

1800–10; < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse vīkingr; compare Old English wīcing pirate; etymology disputed

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Viking Vikings

Villa could still make light of it in Europe, though, with Viking also travelling to Birmingham in the league phase on 21 October.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The whole Viking bit, which might otherwise have been dismissed as a stereotype, instead became the team’s identity, right down to the runic-style characters on the Norwegian jerseys.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

The Viking was at sea, but his subconscious mind was back at the World Cup—still on the lads’ trip.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

During the 1800s, when national projects were popular, the Viking Age became a key part of the construction of national identity in Scandinavia.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

For a while I worried that Viking 1 had been condemned, like the legendary Flying Dutchman, to wander the skies of Mars forever, never to find safe haven.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

The Minnesota Vikings are also 5-0 after another defensive masterclass from Brian Flores' unit in their 23-13 win at the slumping New Orleans Saints.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Although Norway did not win the World Cup—the Vikings rowed their way to the quarterfinals before melting in the Miami heat against England—it’s safe to say that no one had a better time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Early in the Minnesota Vikings’ 15-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson appeared to be shoved into Hill, who was knocked to the ground.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Few expected the Minnesota Vikings to be 3-0, though.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

At the public pep rally out at the stadium the Thursday before the quarterfinal showdown against the Arlington Lamar Vikings, Hix stood on the glittering field.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

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