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Definition 2024

hird

hird

See also: hirð

English

Noun

hird ‎(plural hirds)

  1. (historical) In Norwegian history, an informal retinue of personal armed companions, hirdmen or housecarls.
  2. By extension, the formal royal court household.

Derived terms

Norwegian

Noun

hird

  1. An informal retinue of personal armed companions.
  2. By extension, the formal royal court household.

Etymology

From Middle English hird, from Old English hīrēd, hīrēde, variants of earlier hīrǣden ‎(“family, household”), from Proto-Germanic *hīwarēdaz ‎(“relationship; family”), equivalent to hewe +‎ -red. Cognate with German Heirat ‎(“wedding”).

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