hross

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse hross, from Proto-Germanic *hrussą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈr̥ɔsː/
• Rhymes: -ɔsː

Noun

hross n (genitive singular hross, nominative plural hross)

1. a horse

   Synonym: hestur

   • 2012, “Sleipnir”, in Börn Loka, performed by Skálmöld:

     Reiðskjótinn okkar er reisulegt hross, / runninn úr Ásgarði er hann / Skjannahvítt faxið er skínandi foss, / hann skeiðar við reiðar.

     Our rapid steed is a stately horse, / he has run out of Asgard. / His gleaming white mane is a shining waterfall, / he gallops with anger.

Declension

Declension of hross (neuter)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hross	hrossið	hross	hrossin
accusative	hross	hrossið	hross	hrossin
dative	hrossi	hrossinu	hrossum	hrossunum
genitive	hross	hrossins	hrossa	hrossanna

Derived terms

• hrossafluga (“cranefly, daddy longlegs”)
• hrossakjöt (“horsemeat”)

See also

• hryssa

Old Norse

Alternative forms

• hors

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *hrussą (perhaps from a form *hrussa- ‘runner, racer’), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run”). Cognate with Old Saxon hros (Dutch ros), Old High German hros, ros (German Ross), Old English hors (English horse); and, outside the Germanic languages, with Latin currō (“run, race”).

Noun

hross n (genitive hross, plural hross)

1. horse

   Synonym: hestr

Declension

Declension of hross (strong a-stem)

neuter	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hross	hrossit	hross	hrossin
accusative	hross	hrossit	hross	hrossin
dative	hrossi	hrossinu	hrossum	hrossunum
genitive	hross	hrossins	hrossa	hrossanna

Derived terms

• hrosshvalr

Descendants

• Danish: hors (dialectal)
• Faroese: ross, hors
• Gutnish: russ
• Icelandic: hross, hors
• Norn: russ
• Norwegian:
  • Norwegian Bokmål: røss-
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: hors (“mare”)
• Old Swedish: hors
  • Swedish: hors (dialectal)
• Old Swedish: hross
  • Swedish: ross, russ

Further reading

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