English
Völuspá
Völuspá comes from Old Norse vǫlu, from vǫlva ‘truth-sayer, staff-carrier, prophetess’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *waluz.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*waluz‘staff, stick’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350vǫlr‘rounded staff’
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350vǫlva‘truth-sayer, staff-carrier, prophetess’
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350vǫlugenitive of vǫlva
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350Vǫluspá
- EnglishtodayVöluspá
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*waluz‘staff, stick’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350vǫlr‘rounded staff’
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350vǫlva‘truth-sayer, staff-carrier, prophetess’
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350vǫlugenitive of vǫlva
- Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350Vǫluspá
- EnglishtodayVöluspá
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wel- ‘to turn’
lit, walt, welt, wold, wald, vole, weald, lait, 3 more
through Proto-Germanic *waluz ‘staff, stick’
Today it means
name The Prophecy of the Vǫlva; the first poem of the Poetic Edda.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *waluz / Völuspá