skald

noun

ˈskȯld How to pronounce skald (audio)
ˈskäld
variants or scald
: an ancient Scandinavian poet
broadly : bard
skaldic
ˈskȯl-dik How to pronounce skald (audio)
ˈskäl-
adjective

Examples of skald in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The skald led us in song, our voices booming across the placid waters, thundering in our veins. Jess Grey, Wired, 16 Oct. 2021 A skald is a Norse poet, so skaldic verses are written by Norse poets, usually a court poet. National Geographic, 22 Jan. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skald.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Old Norse skāld

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skald was in 1780

Dictionary Entries Near skald

Cite this Entry

“Skald.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skald. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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