English
galdr
Galdr comes from Old Norse galdr ‘witchcraft, sorcery, magic arts’, from Proto-Germanic *galdraz ‘singing’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰel- ‘to shout, cry’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰel-‘to shout, cry’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*galaną‘to shout, sing’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*galdraz‘singing’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350galdr‘witchcraft, sorcery, magic arts’
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰel-‘to shout, cry’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*galaną‘to shout, sing’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*galdraz‘singing’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350galdr‘witchcraft, sorcery, magic arts’
- Englishearliest quotation 2012same form
Earliest quotation: 2012, Raven Kaldera, Galina Krasskova: “There are different kinds of galdr; the most common…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰel- ‘to shout, cry’
glass, yell, glaze, yelp, gloat, hyaline, geld, 15 more
through Proto-Germanic *galaną ‘to shout, sing’
Today it means
noun An ancient form of shamanic chanting, an improvisational magical song, especially for a protective effect. Compare the custom of the joik and other chanting traditions among the Sámi shamanic noaidi who shares mutual influence with the Norse shamanic vǫlva and other Norse magical customs.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰel- / galdr