Etymograph

English

Surtur

Surtur comes from Old Norse Surtr ‘the swarthy one’.

  1. Old Norsec. 800–1350Surtr‘the swarthy one’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1839Surtur

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Old Norsec. 800–1350Surtr‘the swarthy one’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1839Surtur

Earliest quotation: 1839, Samuel Astley Dunham, History of Denmark: “(Muspelheim, we suppose, with its numerous fiery inhabitants, and…”

Every English word from Old Norse Surtr

Today it means

name A very powerful jotun (giant) and chief of Muspellheim, described in the Eddas as wielding a flaming (or shining) sword and as battling the gods and killing Freyr during Ragnarok.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Old Norse Surtr / Surtur

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