Definition

Noun: 1. (Norse mythology) One of the three goddesses of destiny: In Norse mythology, a Norn is one of the three female beings who rule the destiny of gods and men. They are analogous to the Fates in Greek mythology (the Moirai) and the Parcae in Roman mythology.

Usage

The word "norn" is used almost exclusively in the context of Norse mythology and comparative mythology. - It is a proper noun and is often capitalized (Norn). - It typically refers to the collective trio (the Norns) or to an individual member.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The three Norns—Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld—weave the threads of fate at the base of Yggdrasil.
  • In the myth, a norn determines the length and course of a person's life at their birth.

Advanced Usage

• The Norns: This specific term refers to the triad of goddesses: Urd (fate/past), Verdandi (present/necessity), and Skuld (future/debt).
  • The concept of time in Norse cosmology is deeply tied to the roles of the Norns.

Variants and Related Words

• Wyrd (noun): The Anglo-Saxon concept of fate or personal destiny, closely related to the Norse Norns.
• Moirai (noun): The Greek Fates (Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos).
• Parcae (noun): The Roman Fates.

Synonyms

• Fate (when personified)
• Destiny (when personified)

Notes

• The word "norn" is not used in modern English outside of mythological, literary, or scholarly contexts.
• It should not be confused with "norn" as a potential misspelling of "norm" or with "Norn," the extinct North Germanic language of Orkney and Shetland.

Noun

1. (Norse mythology) any of the three goddesses of destiny; identified with Anglo-Saxon Wyrd; similar to Greek Moirae and Roman Parcae