Vanir

[ vah-nir ]

/ ˈvɑ nɪr /

noun (often lowercase) (used with a plural verb) Scandinavian Mythology.

a race of gods, first in conflict with the Aesir, later allied with them. They function as fertility divinities and include Njord, Frey, and Freyja.

Origin of Vanir

< Old Norse, probably from the same root as vinr friend, Latin Venus Venus, Sanskrit vánas desire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for vanir

What the Eddas say about it is simply this, that the sir made peace with the Vanir and exchanged hostages with them.
The Heroes of Asgard|Annie Keary
Perhaps he was a little ashamed of the trick which he had played the Vanir.
In The Days of Giants|Abbie Farwell Brown
"Hela has no arms to draw you to her," the Æsir and the Vanir cried to Baldur.
The Children of Odin|Padraic Colum
Odin hurled his spear amongst the messengers that came from the Vanir, and war came into the world.
The Children of Odin|Padraic Colum

He is of the race of the Vanir, but is yet worshipped as a god.
The Story of Norway|Hjalmar H. Boyesen

British Dictionary definitions for vanir

Vanir

/ (ˈvɑːnɪə) /

noun

Norse myth a race of ancient gods often locked in struggle with the Aesir. The most notable of them are Njord and his children Frey and Freya

Word Origin for Vanir

from Old Norse Vanr, a fertility god

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