3 ms·
From what I’ve read the word viking derivates from the word vik which basically means ’bay’ - viking is hence one that travels by the bay.
by ethor 6y ago
From what I’ve read the word viking derivates from the word vik which basically means ’bay’ - viking is hence one that travels by the bay.
- staticautomatic 6y agoThe best answer anyone seems to have about that is "maybe." Yes, there was an Old Norse word "vic" meaning "bay". There was also an Old Norse word "vig" meaning "battle". Is that why they're called "vikings"? Nobody seems to know. Did vikings call themselves "vikings" at all prior to the emergence of the Anglo-Saxon word "wicing"? No one seems to know that either.
- tephra 6y agoThe Swedish Academy Word Book gives the "wicing" etymology from old Frisian and old English, but also says that the etymology has "disputed origin".