Valkyrie

American  

[val-keer-ee, -kahy-ree, vahl-, val-kuh-ree] / vælˈkɪər i, -ˈkaɪ ri, vɑl-, ˈvæl kə ri /

noun

Scandinavian Mythology.

1. any of the beautiful maidens attendant upon Odin who bring the souls of slain warriors chosen by Odin or Tyr to Valhalla and there wait upon them.

---

Valkyrie British  

/ ˈvælkɪərɪ, vælˈkɪərɪ, ˈvælkɪə /

noun

1. Norse myth any of the beautiful maidens who serve Odin and ride over battlefields to claim the dead heroes and take them to Valhalla

---

Other Word Forms

• Valkyrian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Valkyrie

< Old Norse valkyrja chooser of the slain (cognate with Old English wælcyrie witch), equivalent to val ( r ) the slain in battle, slaughter (cognate with Old English wæl ) + kyrja chooser (cognate with Old English cyrie ); akin to choose

Example Sentences

Kahyaoglu sees 28% sales growth in 2026, to $1.7 billion, and 20% growth in 2027, to $2.1 billion, boosted in part by Valkyrie Tactical Drone production increases.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

The most well-known U.S. version is the prototype XQ-58A Valkyrie, designed to provide unmanned escort for F-35s and F-22s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

Thompson appeared in three “Creed” pictures, also playing the role of Valkyrie in numerous Marvel movies including “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Avengers: Endgame.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025

“Thor: Love and Thunder” establishes Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie as bisexual and introduces the husband of Thor’s pal Korg.

From Salon • Aug. 28, 2025

Figure 2.6: A melodic phrase based on the Siegfried leitmotif , from Wagner's opera The Valkyrie.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones