frígr

Frægr is an adjective attested in Old Norse and early Icelandic that means famous, renowned, or celebrated. In Old Norse literature, including sagas and poetry, it is used as an epithet for rulers, heroes, and notable events or objects, signaling high esteem or renown. The form appears in various inflected shapes according to the language’s grammar.

Etymology and relation to other forms are typically described as a common North Germanic root connected with fame and glory. The noun frægð, meaning fame or glory, is closely related, and the modern Icelandic cognate of the adjectival meaning is frægur (masculine), with fræg, fræg, or related forms appearing in other gender and number contexts. In contemporary Icelandic, frægr itself is largely encountered in historical, literary, or scholarly contexts and is often regarded as archaic or stylistically marked.

Usage and interpretation in scholarship frame frægr as part of a lexicon of praise terms that convey eminence and noble standing. In sagas and heroic poetry, it contributes to portraying persons of high reputation or illustrious deeds, reinforcing cultural ideals of honor and grandeur. Although frægr is not common in modern everyday language, its meaning persists through its modern descendants and through literary or historical usage, where it continues to evoke the sense of fame and notable status.