Balder

American

[bawl-der] / ˈbɔl dər /

noun

Scandinavian Mythology.

a god, a son of Odin and Frigg and the twin brother of Hod, by whom he was killed.

Balder British

/ ˈbɔːldə /

noun

Norse myth a god, son of Odin and Frigg, noted for his beauty and sweet nature. He was killed by a bough of mistletoe thrown by the blind god Höd, misled by the malicious Loki

"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 Balder

< Old Norse Baldr, cognate with Old English bealdor prince, lord; perhaps akin to Old Norse baldr brave

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.

Later, John and Paul attempt diabolical accents while relating the story of Count Balder and Felpin Mansions, “the eccentric son of Baron Landsberg, the inventor of the rack,” including a variety of sound effects.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2025

He provoked Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to kill Balder, the god of joy and gladness.

From DOGO News • Oct. 9, 2023

Erik Selin, the founder of Fastighets AB Balder, a large property development company based in Goteborg, Sweden’s second-largest city, dismisses the idea that the current downturn is a crisis.

From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2023

Balder the beautiful suffers his strange death, along with the promise of his eventual resurrection.

From Washington Post • Feb. 13, 2017

Of the other gods, only five were important: Balder, Thor, Freyr, Heimdall, and Tyr.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

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