elja

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛlja/
• Rhymes: -ɛlja

Etymology 1

From Old Norse eljan, from Proto-Germanic *aljaną. Cognate with Old English ellen (“strength, courage”).

Noun

elja f (genitive singular elju, no plural)

1. endurance, perseverance

Declension

declension of elja

f-w1	singular
	indefinite	definite
nominative	elja	eljan
accusative	elju	eljuna
dative	elju	eljunni
genitive	elju	eljunnar

Synonyms

• (perseverance): þolgæði, dugnaður, þrek, atorka

Etymology 2

From Old Norse elja (“rival wife”). Cognate with Faroese eljustrið.

Noun

elja f (genitive singular elju, nominative plural eljur)

1. concubine, mistress

Declension

declension of elja

f-w1	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	elja	eljan	eljur	eljurnar
accusative	elju	eljuna	eljur	eljurnar
dative	elju	eljunni	eljum	eljunum
genitive	elju	eljunnar	elja	eljanna

Synonyms

• (concubine): hjákona, frilla

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Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *aljô (“rival”), *aljǭ (“zeal”), from Proto-Indo-European *al- (“to burn”).

Cognate with Middle Low German elle (“rival wife”).

Noun

elja f

1. a rival wife

Descendants

• Danish:
• Faroese: eljastríð
• Icelandic: eljari

• Norwegian (Nynorsk): -
• Norwegian (Bokmål): -
• Swedish:

See also

• eljan
• elskari
• friðla

References

• “elja”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Entry "elja" on page 111 in: Geir T. Zoëga "A Concise Dictionary of Old Islandic", Oxford at the Claredon Press (1910).