Norse

American  

[nawrs] / nɔrs /

adjective

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

2. Norwegian.

---

noun

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

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

3. the Norwegian language, especially in its older forms.

Norse British  

/ nɔːs /

adjective

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

2. of, relating to, or characteristic of Norway

---

noun

1. 1. the N group of Germanic languages, spoken in Scandinavia; Scandinavian

   2. any one of these languages, esp in their ancient or medieval forms See also Proto-Norse Old Norse

2. (functioning as plural)

   1. the Norwegians

   2. the Vikings

Other Word Forms

• non-Norse adjectivenon-Norse
• pre-Norse adjective

Etymology

Origin of Norse

1590–1600; perhaps < Dutch noorsch, obsolete variant of noordsch (now noords ), equivalent to noord north + -sch -ish ¹. Compare Norwegian, Swedish, Danish Norsk Norwegian, Norse

Example Sentences

According to scholars of Scandinavian studies, many widely held beliefs about Vikings and Old Norse paganism cannot be confirmed through modern scientific methods.

From Science Daily

One picture of the Vikings, she says, is of them "being raiders and pillagers and attacking monasteries - then they turn into these more peaceful Norse settlers".

From BBC

Mr Edgley has previously joked that the challenge would be "the closest thing yet to swimming around Asgard" - the mythical home of the Norse god Thor.

From BBC

Experts associate the design with the god Odin, whose roles in Norse mythology included ferrying the dead to the afterlife.

From BBC

The design of the double-ended yole has origins going back to the Norse Viking raiding boats that arrived on Scotland's shores a millennia ago.

From BBC