viking
/ˈvaɪkɪŋ/
noun
Origin
Old Norse
vík — bay, inlet, or fjord
Overview
Meaning Now
- A member of the Scandinavian seafaring warriors and traders who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the 8th to the 11th century.
- A pirate or freebooter, particularly one of Norse origin.
Literal older meaning
one who haunts a bay or inlet
Language path
Old Norse → English
Earliest form
víkingr
Earliest period
11th century
Journey
The term 'viking' was not a generic name for all Scandinavians but specifically identified those who went on overseas expeditions (fara í víking). It gained widespread popular usage in the 19th century during the Romantic nationalist era.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*wīk-
“inlet, bay”
- Old Norse
vík
“bay, inlet”
- Old Norse
víkingr
“one who goes on an expedition (vikingr), specifically from a bay”
- Old English
wīcing
“pirate, raider”
Re-borrowed/influenced by Norse
- Middle English
viking
“pirate”
Rare until 19th-century romantic revival
- Modern English
viking
“Scandinavian medieval raider”
Connections
Word parts
vík
root
bay
-ing
suffix
denoting association or origin
Related across languages
Old English
wīcing
pirate
Explore next
Related to viking
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.