Definition

1. Noun:
   • A Norse seafarer, explorer, trader, and warrior: A Viking was a member of the Scandinavian peoples (from modern-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) who engaged in overseas expeditions, including raiding, trading, and settling, from the late 8th to the late 11th century. This period is known as the Viking Age.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The Viking sailed his longship across the North Sea to the coast of England.
  • Archaeologists discovered a Viking burial site containing weapons and jewelry.
  • The history book described the Viking raids on monasteries in Ireland.

Advanced Usage

• "to go Viking": An archaic or historical phrase meaning to embark on a Viking expedition involving raiding or exploration.
  • The young men of the village prepared to go Viking in the spring.

Variants and Related Words

• Viking Age (n): The historical period, approximately 793–1066 AD, characterized by Norse exploration, expansion, and raids.
  • The Viking Age saw the Norse reach as far as North America.
• Norseman (n): A historical term often used synonymously with Viking, referring to a man from Scandinavia during the Viking Age.
  • The Norsemen were skilled shipbuilders.

Synonyms

• Norse: Pertaining to ancient Scandinavia or its people, often used interchangeably with Viking in a historical context.
• Northman: An older English term for a person from Scandinavia, especially during the Viking Age.

Related Phrases

• Viking longship: The iconic, slender, wooden warship used by Vikings for raids and exploration.
  • The Viking longship was designed for speed and could navigate both open seas and shallow rivers.
• Viking raid: A swift, surprise attack, typically on a coastal settlement or monastery, conducted by Vikings.
  • The chronicles recorded a devastating Viking raid on the holy island of Lindisfarne in 793 AD.

Noun

1. any of the Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries