Valkyrie

noun

Val·​ky·​rie ˈval-k(ə-)rē 

also

val-ˈkir-ē  val-ˈkī-rē 

: any of the maidens of Odin who choose the heroes to be slain in battle and conduct them to Valhalla

Examples of Valkyrie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Last October, the SEC approved futures ETF applications for Valkyrie Investments, VanEck Funds, Proshares, Bitwise Asset Management, and five others. —Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 25 June 2024

The Valkyrie plot, which hinged on the detonation of a briefcase bomb, was no exception. —Peter Hoffmann, Foreign Affairs, 18 June 2014

Hill appeared consistently in television and film, with roles in 1976’s I, Claudius, 1982’s Gandhi, 1999’s Clint Eastwood film True Crime, 1999’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2002’s The Scorpion King and 2008’s Tom Cruise film Valkyrie. —Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 May 2024

Hill’s other credits include Gandhi, The Ghost and the Darkness, Valkyrie, The Scorpion King, and Gothika. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German & Old Norse; German Walküre, borrowed from Old Norse valkyrja, going back to Germanic *wala-kuzjōn- (whence Old English wælcyrige "war goddess, sorceress"), from *wala- (whence Old Norse valr "the slain," Old English wæl) + -kuzjōn-, nominal derivative from the base of *keusan- "to choose" (whence Old English cēosan) — more at valhalla, choose

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Valkyrie

noun

Val·​kyr·​ie

val-ˈkir-ē

: any of the maidens in Norse mythology who take slain heroes to Valhalla