gammr

Old Norse

Etymology

Unknown origin. Cognate with Middle High German gabilun, gampilŭn (in myth).

Perhaps from Romance, compare Spanish gavilán. Or perhaps related to mór, from Proto-Germanic *maiwaz (“gull, seagull”), also of uncertain origin and possibly imitative. Connecting it to German Geier (“vulture; greedy person”) has been met with rejection.

Noun

gammr m

kind of big predatory bird, or mythical creature

Descendants

Icelandic: gammur
Norwegian: gamber
Swedish: gam

References

gam in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
Hellquist, Elof (1922) “gam”, in Svensk etymologisk ordbok [Swedish etymological dictionary]‎ (in Swedish), Lund: C. W. K. Gleerups förlag

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