heldr

Old Norse

Etymology 1

Comparative of an adjective corresponding to Old High German halto (“much”). Cognates include Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌹𐍃 (haldis, “more, rather”) and Old High German halt (“much more”) (> German halt). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Adverb

heldr

1. rather

   That is rather difficult.

   Es þat heldr vant.

   • c. 954, Anonymous, Eiríksmál, stanza 6:

     ‘Hví es þér Eireks vǫ́n / heldr an annarra konunga?’
     ‘Því at mǫrgu landi / hann hefr mæki roðit
     ok blóðugt sverð borit.

     “Why do you expect Eric, rather than other kings?” — “Because in many a land, he has reddened the blade, and a bloody sword borne.”

Derived terms

• helzt

Descendants

• Icelandic: heldur
• Faroese: heldur
• Norwegian: heller (Bokmål), heller (Nynorsk)
• Old Swedish: hælder, hældar, hæller, haller, hellirs
  • Swedish: heller, hellre
• Danish: heller

References

• “heldr”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

heldr

1. inflection of halda:
   1. second-person singular present indicative
   2. third-person singular present indicative