Hugr

Hugr is a term in Old Norse and Icelandic linguistic and literary contexts that denotes the mind, thoughts, memory, or intention. While primarily associated with historical texts, the word is often cited in studies of how the Norse expressed internal mental states and agency, and it is frequently linked to descriptions of a person’s resolve or plans.

In Old Norse literature, hugr appears in descriptions of inner experiences and mental dispositions. Sagas and poetry use the term to convey a character's mood, deliberate purpose, or psychological readiness before action. The concept can be encountered in narratives that emphasize that mental state is integral to behavior, and in some contexts it is considered to shape or reflect destiny.

In modern scholarship, hugr is treated as part of the vocabulary that underpins the Norse understanding of personhood and action. Its semantic field overlaps with words for memory, thought, and intention, and it is referenced in discussions of cognitive language in medieval Germanic languages. Related modern Icelandic forms and compounds trace the same root to that historical sense, illustrating how the idea of the mind has persisted in the language family.