One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
noun
Any of the Scandinavian seafaring pirates and traders who raided and settled in many parts of northwestern Europe in the 8th–11th centuries.
- ‘Certainly the Vikings set up new kingdoms in England and Ireland, and those kingdoms had their own cultures.’
- ‘The language of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings is not so far removed from what we speak today as you may expect.’
- ‘Using guerrilla tactics and subterfuge, Alfred beat the Vikings at their own game.’
- ‘Apart from iron and bronze, the Saxons and Vikings made use of other metals, mainly for jewellery.’
- ‘In the 8th century the Vikings began one of the most remarkable periods of expansion in history.’
- ‘We should not forget that the Vikings continued to raid north-west Wales well into the 1130s.’
- ‘It attempted to find out where the Vikings had settled in our islands.’
- ‘So who were the Vikings raiding around the Welsh coast, the Welsh or themselves?’
- ‘Timber was the most important resource for the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings.’
- ‘As the Vikings invaded northern Europe from Scandinavia they left a strong genetic legacy.’
- ‘Many Vikings also had a nickname which was used instead of their family name.’
- ‘As if to remind us that Vikings were warriors as well as traders, a shining Viking helmet stands next to him.’
- ‘Placenames in Rochdale show how Saxons and Vikings settled in the area.’
- ‘The wearing of skins as normal clothing was unknown to both the Saxons and the Vikings.’
- ‘Warfare was not a part of everyday life for many Anglo-Saxons and Vikings.’
- ‘The Vikings are often thought to have raided British monasteries and carried off treasure.’
- ‘In 992 an English fleet assembled at London had some success against the Vikings.’
- ‘The fall in temperature that forced the Vikings out of Greenland also affected Europe.’
- ‘The survey will attempt to discover how many of the Vikings stayed and made the British Isles their home.’
- ‘The Vikings also had their own professional poet/storytellers, known as Skalds.’
pirate, marauder, raider, sea rover, freebooter, plunderer, cut-throat, privateer, bandit, robber, desperadoView synonyms
adjective
Relating to the Vikings or the period in which they lived.
Origin
From Old Norse víkingr, from vík ‘creek’ or Old English wīc ‘camp, dwelling place’.
Pronunciation
proper noun
Either of two American space probes sent to Mars in 1975, each of which consisted of a lander that conducted experiments on the surface and an orbiter.
Pronunciation
proper noun
A shipping forecast area covering the open sea between southern Norway and the Shetland Islands.