Where does “Reykjavík” come from?
Reykjavík (Old Norse) comes from Old Norse Vík, from Old Norse víkja, from Proto-Germanic wīkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European weyḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...
Reykjavík (Old Norse): Reykjavík
Definitions
- Reykjavík
Ancestry of “Reykjavík”, step by step
Reykjavík traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Norse Vík
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | Vík | a small bay, a cove, an inlet |
| 2 | Old Norse | víkja | to move, bend, curve; to move, curve, bend |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wīkwaną | to yield, to fold; to retreat |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | weyḱ- | to enter in; to settle; settlement |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wey- | to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;... |