margr

Old Norse

Etymology

Either an independent word from Proto-Germanic *margaz related to mor and merja, or derived from mangr (from Proto-Germanic *managaz (“many, much”)) under the influence of such words. Cognate with Old English maniġ, Old Frisian monich, Old Saxon manag, Old Dutch manag, Old High German manag, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌲𐍃 (manags).

Adjective

margr (comparative fleiri, superlative flestr)

1. many, a lot of
2. (figuratively) friendly, communicative

Declension

This word has a suppletive inflection, using another root in the comparative and superlative forms, than in the positive form. Note also the g dropping in the nominative and accusative singular neuter forms (= mart).

Strong declension of margr

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	margr	mǫrg	mart
accusative	margan	marga	mart
dative	mǫrgum	margri	mǫrgu
genitive	margs	margrar	margs
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	margir	margar	mǫrg
accusative	marga	margar	mǫrg
dative	mǫrgum	mǫrgum	mǫrgum
genitive	margra	margra	margra

Weak declension of margr

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	margi	marga	marga
accusative	marga	mǫrgu	marga
dative	marga	mǫrgu	marga
genitive	marga	mǫrgu	marga
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	mǫrgu	mǫrgu	mǫrgu
accusative	mǫrgu	mǫrgu	mǫrgu
dative	mǫrgum	mǫrgum	mǫrgum
genitive	mǫrgu	mǫrgu	mǫrgu

Declension of comparative of margr

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	meiri	meiri	meira
accusative	meira	meiri	meira
dative	meira	meiri	meira
genitive	meira	meiri	meira
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	meiri	meiri	meiri
accusative	meiri	meiri	meiri
dative	meirum	meirum	meirum
genitive	meiri	meiri	meiri

Strong declension of superlative of margr

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	mestr	mest	mest
accusative	mestan	mesta	mest
dative	mestum	mestri	mestu
genitive	mests	mestrar	mests
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	mestir	mestar	mest
accusative	mesta	mestar	mest
dative	mestum	mestum	mestum
genitive	mestra	mestra	mestra

Weak declension of superlative of margr

singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	mesti	mesta	mesta
accusative	mesta	mestu	mesta
dative	mesta	mestu	mesta
genitive	mesta	mestu	mesta
plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	mestu	mestu	mestu
accusative	mestu	mestu	mestu
dative	mestum	mestum	mestum
genitive	mestu	mestu	mestu

Derived terms

• margspakr (“sagacious, very wise”)
• margfróðr (“very learned”)
• ofmargr (“too many”)

Descendants

• Icelandic: margur
• Faroese: margur
• Old Swedish: margher, marghin
  • Swedish: marg
• Old Danish: margh
• → English: marra, marrow (dialectal)

Noun

margr m

1. great number

Declension

Declension of margr (strong a-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	margr	margrinn	margar	margarnir
accusative	marg	marginn	marga	margana
dative	margi	marginum	mǫrgum	mǫrgunum
genitive	margs	margsins	marga	marganna

Further reading

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