Norse

[ nawrs ]

/ nɔrs /

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adjective

of or relating to ancient Scandinavia, its inhabitants, or their language.

Norwegian (def. 1).

noun

(used with a plural verb) the Norwegians, especially the ancient Norwegians.

(used with a plural verb) the Northmen or ancient Scandinavians generally.

the Norwegian language, especially in its older forms.

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Compare Old Norse.

Origin of Norse

1590–1600; perhaps <Dutch noorsch, obsolete variant of noordsch (now noords), equivalent to noordnorth + -sch-ish¹. Compare Norwegian, Swedish, Danish NorskNorwegian, Norse

OTHER WORDS FROM Norse

non-Norse, adjective, noun, plural non-Norse.pre-Norse, adjective

Words nearby Norse

Norris, Norrish, Norristown, Norrköping, Norroy, Norse, Norseman, Norse mythology, Norstad, norteamericano, norteño

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Norse in a sentence

Some who have touted the idea of the Norse discovery are benignly proud of their ancestry, and curious about exploring it.
No, the Vikings Did Not Discover America. Here's Why That Myth is Problematic|Gordon Campbell|June 29, 2021|Time
The discovery in 1898 of the Kensington Runestone, with its inscription recording the arrival of a group of Norse explorers in 1362, enabled rural Minnesotans to feel proud that their ancestors had visited the region five centuries earlier.
No, the Vikings Did Not Discover America. Here's Why That Myth is Problematic|Gordon Campbell|June 29, 2021|Time
In the movies, Elba has mostly learned to do a lot with a little, bringing unstudied glamour to roles like the reptilian villain Krall in Star Trek Beyond and the all-seeing Norse deity Heimdall in several Marvel movies.
Idris Elba Brings a Regal Urban Cowboy to Life in Concrete Cowboy|Stephanie Zacharek|April 2, 2021|Time
Eivor sees the ancient race as old Norse men and women speaking their language, so that’s how we the players view them as well.
How ‘Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’ makes sense of stories about Vikings, pirates and George Washington|Gene Park|January 1, 2021|Washington Post

Nat Wolff stars in Mortal, a new fantasy action film inspired by Norse mythology.
Mortal’s brooding take on Thor is the antithesis to Marvel’s incarnation|Jennifer Ouellette|November 9, 2020|Ars Technica
He added that Norse has good relations with the FBI and has consulted with them on other crime cases.
FBI Won’t Stop Blaming North Korea for Sony Hack -- Despite New Evidence|Shane Harris|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From afar, the confab known as the World Economic Forum in Davos looked a little like Asgard, the mythical home of the Norse gods.
At Davos 2014, The Gods Of Mischief Rule|Christopher Dickey|January 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In Norse mythology, Loki is a shape-shifting god who enjoys the occasional turn as a woman.
How Marvel’s Loki Became A Bi-curious Villain|Sujay Kumar|November 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Did naming your car after a Norse, shape-shifting god help you avoid speed traps?
Maggie Stiefvater Talks New Novel ‘The Raven Boys,’ Fast Cars, and YA Fiction|Doug Stanton|September 28, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Why did the Norse not turn back and find a way to warmer climes, but instead map the North Sea and the coastline?
This Week’s Hot Reads: June 18, 2012|Jimmy So|June 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
No sooner was the man there than he shouted somewhat in broad Norse sea language, which made our skipper start and knit his brows.
A Prince of Cornwall|Charles W. Whistler
William Bowie; probably from Gaelic buidhe, yellow, and so not Norse at all.
Lavengro|George Borrow
The Norse of old were born, bred, and buried—if they escaped being killed and cut to pieces—in the midst of alarms.
The Norsemen in the West|R.M. Ballantyne
At last he spoke Norse, and told us that he had found vines and grapes in great abundance.
The Norsemen in the West|R.M. Ballantyne
At this point a vigorous sally from the fortress, and a deep-toned Norse cheer, settled the question for the time being.
The Norsemen in the West|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for Norse

Norse

/ (nɔːs) /

adjective

of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient and medieval Scandinavia or its inhabitants

of, relating to, or characteristic of Norway

noun

the N group of Germanic languages, spoken in Scandinavia; Scandinavian
any one of these languages, esp in their ancient or medieval formsSee also Proto-Norse, Old Norse

the Norse (functioning as plural)

the Norwegians
the Vikings

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