: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Where Aston’s mid-engine milestone distances itself from its 1,139 hp Valkyrie sibling is in its ability to display a more genteel demeanor in public. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2026 Gill Pratt poses with an early version of NASA’s Valkyrie DRC robot. IEEE Spectrum, 2 Apr. 2026 While the block party was still being set up, some of the Valkyrie's team members were arriving extra early. Amanda Hari, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026 The Valkyrie, or AM-RB 001 as it was known in development, is a fantastically wild-looking hypercar. Ben Oliver, Robb Report, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Valkyrie

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of Valkyrie was in 1770

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Valkyrie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Valkyrie. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

Valkyrie

noun
Val·​kyr·​ie
val-ˈkir-ē
: any of the maidens in Norse mythology who take slain heroes to Valhalla

More from Merriam-Webster on Valkyrie

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster