hulder

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

Dialectal forms

• huld (Sognamål, Hardingmål)
• hulda (Northern Hordaland)
• hold, hodd (helg)
• ulder (Hallingmål)
• uldre (Østfold dialect)
• uld, ulde, hudde (Telemark dialect)

Etymology

From Old Norse *hyldr (genitive huldar), from Old Norse hylja (“to hide”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhʊldər/, [ˈhʊldər]
• IPA^(key): /ˈhʊɽdəɾ/, [ˈhʊɖəɾ]
• (Trøndelag dialect) IPA^(key): /ˈhʉʎ.dər/

Noun

hulder f (definite singular huldra, indefinite plural huldrer, definite plural huldrene)

1. (Norwegian folklore) a supernatural being, most often in the shape of a beautiful woman with a cow's tail, that dwells subterraneously.
   • 1871, Stein Fjellheim, Huldergarden paa Glombakka:

     Kaa si’ døkk um detta, døkk som ikkje vil tru, at de finnst hulder te?

     What do you say to this, you who will not believe that the hulder exists?

References

• “hulder” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.