greiðr

Greiðr is an Old Norse adjective (form greiðr) that denotes ease, smoothness, readiness, or willingness. In run of Old Norse usage it could describe both concrete things, such as a smooth path or a well-prepared task, and people, meaning someone who is cooperative, agreeable, or quick to help. The sense of easiness extends to weather, actions, and conditions that are favorable or unproblematic, making greiðr a versatile term in descriptive prose and poetry.

Etymology and related forms are not always explicit in surviving texts, but greiðr is commonly linked to a semantic field of ease and readiness observed across the North Germanic languages. The related modern Icelandic adjective greiða/ greiður retains many of the same core senses, such as easy, smooth, or agreeable, and is used in similar contexts to describe things that are uncomplicated or friendly in disposition. The word also participates in compound expressions and kennings typical of Norse poetry, where nuances of amenability or promptness could be foregrounded.

In textual usage, greiðr appears in sagas, skaldic poetry, and legal or administrative writings to characterize people, actions, or conditions as easy or favorable rather than harsh or difficult. Its evaluative sense is generally positive, though in some contexts it can carry nuances of efficiency or passivity, depending on the surrounding language and imagery.

Today, greiðr survives primarily through its Icelandic descendants, with the broader Old Norse semantic field reflected in discussions of ease, readiness, and smoothness in both descriptive and figurative language.