Valkyr
/ˈvæl.kɪr/noun
A variant form of Valkyrie, a female figure in Norse mythology who chooses the slain in battle.
Did you know?Old Norse valkyrja comes from valr meaning “the slain” and kjósa meaning “to choose,” so the name itself is a ritualized verdict over the dead.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*walaz
“the slain, dead on the battlefield”
Old Norse
ON
valr + kjósa
“the slain + to choose”
Old Norse
ON
valkyrja
“chooser of the slain; a Valkyrie”
Middle English
ME
valkyrye / valkyrie
“a Norse mythological maiden of battle”
Modern English
English
valkyrie
“a female supernatural figure in Norse myth who chooses the slain”