Etymology

From the Old Norse níðingr. Cognate with Old English nīðing and Old High German nidding.

Confer the Icelandic níð from the Old norse níð (whence also the Swedish regional nid) from Proto-Germanic *nīþą. Cognate with the Old English nīþ and nīð whence the English nithe, the Old Saxon nīþ whence also the Dutch nijd, Old High German nīd whence the German Neid and Gothic 𐌽𐌴𐌹𐌸 ‎(neith).