elja

Icelandic

Alternative forms

• eljan, eljun

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛlja/
• Rhymes: -ɛlja

Etymology 1

From Old Norse eljan, from Proto-Germanic *aljaną. Cognate with Old English ellen (“strength, courage”).

Noun

elja f (genitive singular elju, no plural)

1. endurance, perseverance

Synonyms

• (perseverance): þolgæði, dugnaður, þrek, atorka

Etymology 2

From Old Norse elja (“rival wife”). Cognate with Faroese eljustrið.

Noun

elja f (genitive singular elju, nominative plural eljur)

1. concubine, mistress

Synonyms

• (concubine): hjákona, frilla

Norwegian Nynorsk

Verb

elja (present tense el, past tense alde or ol, supine alt or ale, past participle ald or alen, present participle eljande, imperative el)

1. alternative form of ala

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *aljô (“rival”), *aljǭ (“zeal”), from Proto-Indo-European *al- (“to burn”).

Cognate with Middle Low German elle (“rival wife”).

Noun

elja f

1. a rival wife (clarification of this definition is needed)

Descendants

• Faroese: eljastríð
• Icelandic: elja
• ⇒ Icelandic: eljari

See also

• eljan
• elskari
• friðla

References

• “elja”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Entry "elja" on page 111 in: Geir T. Zoëga "A Concise Dictionary of Old Islandic", Oxford at the Claredon Press (1910).