galdr

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Norse galdr (“witchcraft, sorcery, magic arts”), akin to Old English ġealdor (“incantation, magic”). Related to English gale, yell.

Noun

galdr (plural galdrar or galdrs)

1. 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.
2. A similar style of chanting that is a modern reinvention of Norse and later magical traditions.
   • 2012, Raven Kaldera, Galina Krasskova, Neolithic Shamanism: Spirit Work in the Norse Tradition:

     There are different kinds of galdr; the most common is runegaldr, which consists of singing the various names of a single rune with Intent.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Verb

galdr

1. imperative of galdra

Old Norse

FWOTD – 17 January 2017

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *galdraz, whence also Old English ġealdor.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡaldr̩/

Noun

galdr m

1. magical chanting, especially relating to the Ljóðatal, gendered masculine and for protective effects
2. a term for magic generally; spell, incantation, charm, wizardry, witchcraft

Declension

Declension of galdr (strong a-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	galdr	galdrinn	galdrar	galdrarnir
accusative	galdr	galdrinn	galdra	galdrana
dative	galdri	galdrinum	gǫldrum	gǫldrunum
genitive	galdrs	galdrsins	galdra	galdranna

Derived terms

• galdramaðr
• galdrakona
• galdrabók

Related terms

• gala
• seiðr
• gjalla

Descendants

• Icelandic: galdur
• Faroese: galdur
• Norwegian Nynorsk: galder
• Old Swedish: galder, ᚵᛆᛚᚦᚽᚱ
  • Swedish: galder
• →? Irish: goldar

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “galdr”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive