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What does the word "Vik" mean in Icelandic place names such as Keflavik and Reykjavik?

Question #82957. Asked by miffy42.
Last updated Jun 01 2021.

Related Trivia Topics: Linguistics   Vocabulary  
davejacobs
Answer has 9 votes
Currently Best Answer
davejacobs
22 year member
956 replies

Answer has 9 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
It is apparently Old Norse for a port or harbour, or Old English for a refuge. Most places where the Norsemen landed had names ending in -vik, for obvious reasons.
link https://www.nordicnames.de/wiki/VIK

Response last updated by CmdrK on Jun 01 2021.
Jul 06 2007, 7:18 AM
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lanfranco star
Answer has 4 votes
lanfranco star
19 year member
4407 replies avatar

Answer has 4 votes.
One of the interesting points made in dave's site (I rather enjoyed reading though it) is that the etymology of the word "Viking" may be related to Old Norse "vik" for "bay," "inlet," or "creek."

Here's a somewhat simpler site. Scroll down to "Etymology":


link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking

Jul 06 2007, 7:32 PM
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