Freyr

English

A detail from Gotland runestone G 181, in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm. The three men are interpreted as Odin, Thor, and Freyr.

Alternative forms

• Frey

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Old Norse Freyr, from Proto-Germanic *frawjô (“lord”). Compare Freya, from the feminine counterpart.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹeɪə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹeɪɚ/
• Rhymes: -eɪə(ɹ)

Proper noun

Freyr

1. (Norse mythology) A Vanir god associated with kingship and virility in the North Germanic corpus, in which he rides the shining boar Gullinbursti and wields an antler as a weapon. He is sometimes referred to as Yngvi-Freyr.

Translations

deity

• French: Freyr (fr)
• German: Freyr, Fro, Froh
• Swedish: Frej (sv)

Anagrams

• Ferry, Fryer, ferry, fryer, refry

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse Freyr. Used as a given name since 1910.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [freiːr]

  Rhymes: -eiːr

Proper noun

Freyr m (proper noun, genitive singular Freys)

1. (Norse mythology) Freyr, a god associated with kingship and virility
2. a male given name

Declension

Declension of Freyr (sg-only masculine)

indefinite singular
nominative	Freyr
accusative	Frey
dative	Frey
genitive	Freys

Old Norse

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Germanic *frawjô (“Lord”), via alternative form *frawjaz (transferred to a-stem declension). Originally an epithet of Yngvi (cognate with Old English Ing), as seen in Yngvi-Freyr (“Lord Yngvi”). Compare Freyja.

Proper noun

Freyr

1. Freyr, a god associated with kingship and virility

   Synonyms: Yngvi, Yngvi-Freyr

   • c. 930, Egill Skallagrímsson, loose verse 21

     […] folkmýgi lát flœja,
     Freyr ok Njǫrðr, af jǫrðum,
     leiðisk lofða stríði,
     landôss, þanns vé grandar.

     Freyr and Njǫrðr, let the people-oppressor flee from his lands; may the land-áss [= Þórr] come to loathe the tormentor of men, the one who damages sanctuaries.

   • 995-1000, Hallfreðr vandræðaskald Óttarsson, loose verse 9

     Mér skyli Freyr ok Freyja,
     fjǫrð lætk ǫðul Njarðar,
     líknisk grǫm við Grímni,
     gramr, ok Þór enn ramma; […]

     Freyr and Freyja, and Þórr the strong, must be angry with me; last year I forsook the inheritance of Njǫrðr; may the fiends ask Grímnir <= Óðinn> for mercy.

Declension

Declension of Freyr (strong i-stem, s-genitive, indefinite singular only)

masculine	singular
	indefinite
nominative	Freyr
accusative	Frey
dative	Frey
genitive	Freys

Descendants

• Icelandic: Freyr
  • → Swedish: Frej (learned)
  • → Danish: Frej (learned)
• Faroese: Froyur
• Norwegian: Frøy
• Old Swedish: *Frø̄
  • Swedish: Frö
• Old Danish: Frø̄
  • Old Danish: Frø