ᛚᚨᚦᚢ

Proto-Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *laþō (“invitation”).

Noun

ᛚᚨᚦᚢ (laþu) f (accusative singular ᛚᚨᚦᛟ)

1. invitation, invocation
   • c. 5th century, Funen I bracteate (DR BR42, IK58, KJ119)
   • c. 5th century, Trollhättan II bracteate (IK 639)

     ᛖ(ᛖ)ᚲᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉᛗᚨᚱᛁᚦᛖᚢᛒᚨᛉᚺᚨᛁᛏᛖᚹᚱᚨᛁᛏᚨᛚᚨᚦᛟ
     e(e)krilazmariþeubazhaitewraitalaþo

     ek erilaz, mariþeubaz haitē, wraita laþō

     I, the Erilaz, [who] am called sea/glory-thief, wrote an invitation.

Usage notes

Although the prose meaning of this word is probably invitation, it is used as a runic charm word, in the same way as ᚨᛚᚢ (alu, “ale”) and ᛚᚨᚢᚲᚨᛉ (laukaʀ, “leek”).

Descendants

• Old Norse: lǫð
  • Icelandic: löð