Viking
/ˈvaɪ.kɪŋ/noun
A seafaring raider, trader, or settler from Scandinavia in the late 8th to 11th centuries.
Did you know?The Old Norse word likely comes from vík, meaning a bay or inlet, with Vikingr originally referring to a person who went on a sea-journey or raiding expedition, not every Scandinavian.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weik-
“to bend, turn, or settle in a dwelling/place”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wīką
“dwelling place, village”
Old Norse
ON
vík
“bay, inlet”
Old Norse
ON
víkingr
“a pirate, raider, or one on a seaborne expedition”
Old English
OE
wīcing
“a pirate or sea-raider”
Modern English
English
Viking
“a Scandinavian seafarer, especially one associated with raiding and exploration”