gormur

See also: Gormur

Icelandic

FWOTD – 21 January 2017

gormur

Etymology

Attested since the 17th century. From an unattested Old Norse *gormr, whence also Norwegian Nynorsk gorm, gurm (“mud, sludge”) and dialectal or obsolete Swedish gorm (“filth; fish guts; fruit solids left over after pressing the juice out”), from a Proto-Germanic *gurmaz. Related to ger and gor. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰer- (“hot”). The meaning “coil, spring” developed from the resemblance of metal coils to fish or animal intestines.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔrmʏr/
• Rhymes: -ɔrmʏr
• Homophone: Gormur

Noun

gormur m (genitive singular gorms, nominative plural gormar)

1. mud, sludge

   Synonyms: leðja, drulla, korgur

2. liquid animal faeces
3. the guts or intestines of a fish

   Synonyms: innyfli, garnir, þarmar

4. a bottomless morass
5. a coil spring (mechanical device)

   Synonym: fjöður

6. coil, spiral, helix, a coil-shaped object

   Synonym: fjöður

7. a coil of silver or gold wire for use in embroidery

Declension

Declension of gormur (masculine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	gormur	gormurinn	gormar	gormarnir
accusative	gorm	gorminn	gorma	gormana
dative	gormi	gorminum	gormum	gormunum
genitive	gorms	gormsins	gorma	gormanna

References

• Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989) “gormur”, in Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)
• gorm in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)