nykr

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Old Norse

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Etymology

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From Proto-Germanic *nikwiz-, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *nigʷ-, cognates with the German Nix, Nixe and Nixie from the Middle High German nickes, from Old High German nihhus (water-elf, crocodile). Cognate with Old English nicor (water-elf, hippopotamus, walrus) (English nicker) and Swedish Näcken.

Noun

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nykr m (genitive nykrs, plural nykrar)

  1. (mythology) a water-demon, the nixie, the nick; (mostly appearing as a grey horse-like creature with inverted hoofs and forward fetlocks that emerges from lakes)

Declension

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Descendants

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  • Icelandic: nykur
  • Faroese: nykur
  • Norwegian Bokmål: nøkk
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: nykk
  • Swedish: näck, Näcken
  • Danish: nøkke