English
Fenrir
Fenrir comes from Old Norse Fenrir ‘fen-dweller’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *pen- ‘moist, wet, mud, swamp, water’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pen-‘moist, wet, mud, swamp, water’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fanją‘fen, marsh, swamp’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350fen
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350Fenrir‘fen-dweller’
- Englishearliest quotation 2001same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pen-‘moist, wet, mud, swamp, water’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*fanją‘fen, marsh, swamp’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350fen
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350Fenrir‘fen-dweller’
- Englishearliest quotation 2001same form
Earliest quotation: 2001, John Lindow, Handbook of Norse Mythology: “Lokasenna, stanzas 37-40, comprise an exchange between Týr and…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pen- ‘moist, wet, mud, swamp, water’
penetrate, impenetrable, 2 more
through Proto-Germanic *fanją ‘fen, marsh, swamp’
Today it means
name A monstrous wolf, one of Loki's offspring, who bites off Tyr's right hand while being bound by the gods in fear of a prophecy that he will kill Odin, remaining so bound until the events of Ragnarok.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pen- / Fenrir