English Explanatory Dictionary

hird

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. In Norwegian history, an informal retinue of personal armed companions, hirdmen or housecarls.
  2. The formal royal court household.
name
  1. A surname originating as an occupation for a herdsman.

Word forms

hird hirds

Etymology

Borrowed from Norwegian hird, from Old Norse hirð, a borrowing from Old English hīred, hēored (“family, household”), from Proto-West Germanic *hīwarād (“relationship; family”), equivalent to hewe + rede. Cognate with German Heirat (“wedding”).

Derived words

hirdman
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