Egersund

Norwegian Bokmål

A view of Egersund, in Norway.

Etymology

FromOld NorseEikundarsund(“the strait between Eigerøya and the mainland”),first part is a form ofEikund(“Eigerøya”),whereeik(“oak, tree”)refers to all the oak trees situated on the island, fromProto-Germanic*aiks(“oak tree, oak (wood)”),fromProto-Indo-European*h₂éyǵs(“oak”),from*h₂eyǵ-(“goat, oak”).Last partsund(“swimming; narrow waters (which you can swim across)”),fromProto-Germanic*sundą(“swimming, sound, strait”),from earlier*swumdan,fromProto-Indo-European*swm̥tóm.

The name is among the oldest place names in Norway. It can already be found in the form 'Eikundarsund' in the Norse saga ofOlav the Holy,written by Icelandic authorSnorri Sturlassonin the 13th century. From around the year 1000 Olav the Holy's fleet was here often. We can also find the name in texts and scaldic poems from Olav's saga.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/eːɡɛˈʂʉn/,/eːɡɛˈʁsʉn/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes:-ʉn
• Hyphenation:Eg‧er‧sund

Proper noun

Egersund

1. Egersund(a coastal town,urbanarea,andadministrative centerofEigersund,Vestlandet,Norway)

Derived terms

• Egersundfeltet(“a geological formation that covers the entire southeastern Rogaland”)

References

• “Egersund”inStore norske leksikon

Norwegian Nynorsk

Proper noun

Egersund

1. atown(withbystatus) inEigersund,Rogaland,Norway