ᛚᚨᚦᚢ

ᛚᚨᚦᚢ

Proto-Norse

Etymology

From *laþō (“invitation”).

Noun

ᛚᚨᚦᚢ (laþu) (accusative singular ᛚᚨᚦᛟ)

1. invitation, invocation
   • c. 5th century, Funen I bracteate (DR BR42, IK58, KJ119[1])
   • c. 5th century, Trollhättan II bracteate (IK 639)

     ᛖ(ᛖ)ᚲᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉᛗᚨᚱᛁᚦᛖᚢᛒᚨᛉᚺᚨᛁᛏᛖᚹᚱᚨᛁᛏᚨᛚᚨᚦᛟ
     e(e)krilazmariþeubazhaitewraitalaþo

     ek erilaz, mariþeubaz haitē, wrait ā laþō

     I, the Erilaz, am called sea/glory-thief, [I] wrote an invitation.

Usage notes

Although the meaning of this word is probably invitation, it is used as a runic charm word, in the same way as ᚨᛚᚢ (alu, “ale”) and ᛚᚨᚢᚲᚨᛉ (laukaz, “leek”).

Descendants

• Old Norse: lǫð
  • Icelandic: löð

References

1. interpretations to KJ 119 in the Runenprojekt Kiel