niþinger

Old Swedish

Alternative forms

  • nidinger
  • nidhinger
  • niðinger

Etymology

By surface analysis, nidh +‎ -inger, from Old Norse níðingr (níð + -ingr). Earliest record from the 11th century, in the form of the runic genitive inflection ᚾᛁᚦᛁᚴᛋ (niþiks /⁠niðiŋs, nid͡hin͡gs⁠/). Cognate of Danish nidding (Old Danish nithing), Icelandic níðingur, English nithing.

Noun

nīþinger m

  1. (vulgar, derogatory, offensive) shameful dishonorable coward; by extension: general insult
  2. (law) harsh criminal, villain, scoundrel, vile wretch, apostate (guilty of apostasy; dishonesty), in relation to crimes of honor, honesty and thereof; originally an outlaw (criminal excluded from legal rights, who can be killed at will without legal penalty)

Declension

Declension of niþinger (strong a-stem)
masculine singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative niþinger niþingrin niþingar niþinganir, niþinganer
accusative niþing niþingin niþinga niþingana
dative niþingi, niþinge niþinginum, niþingenom niþingum, niþingom niþingumin, niþingomen
genitive niþings niþingsins niþinga niþinganna

Descendants

  • Swedish: niding
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