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
2. liquid animal faeces
3. the guts or intestines of a fish
4. a bottomless morass
5. a coil spring (mechanical device)
6. coil, spiral, helix, a coil-shaped object
7. a coil of silver or gold wire for use in embroidery

Synonyms

• (mud, sludge): leðja, drulla, korgur
• (guts, intestine): innyfli, garnir, þarmar
• (spring): fjöður
• (coil, spiral): spírall

References

• “gormur” in: Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon — Íslensk orðsifjabók, (1989). Reykjavík, Orðabók Háskólans. (Available on Málið.is under the “Eldra mál” tab.)
• gorm in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)