skjǫldr

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *skelduz (“shield”). Cognate with Old English scield, scyld, Old Frisian skeld, Old Saxon skild, Old High German skild, skilt, Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌳𐌿𐍃 (skildus). The different case and number forms show various sound changes: breaking (e > ja), u-umlaut (ja > jǫ), and i-umlaut (e > i).

Pronunciation

• (12th century Icelandic) IPA^(key): /ˈskjɒldr̩/

Noun

skjǫldr m (genitive skjaldar, dative skildi, plural skildir)

1. a shield
   • Sverris saga konungs 95, in 1834, F. Magnússon, C.C. Rafn, Fornmanna sögur. Volume VIII. Copenhagen, page 232:

     Þeir skutu skildi undir líkit, ok hófu upp í skutina þá, er konúngr var á.

     They put a shield under the corpse, and lifted it up into the ship where the king was.

References

• skjǫldr in An Icelandic-English Dictionary, R. Cleasby and G. Vigfússon, Clarendon Press, 1874, at Internet Archive.
• skjǫldr in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, G. T. Zoëga, Clarendon Press, 1910, at Internet Archive.