Yggdrasil

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mythological tree from Norse cosmology that connects the nine realms and symbolizes the axis of the universe
2. An immense and central tree in Norse mythology that serves as a cosmic pillar uniting various worlds and realms
3. A legendary tree in Norse lore representing the universe's structure and interlinking different realms of existence

Etymology: Yggdrasil is the great ash tree of Norse mythology, and its name is a horse's name in disguise. In Old Norse, "Yggdrasill" is commonly understood as a compound of "Yggr," a name of Odin meaning "terrible," and "drasill," meaning "steed." The likely reading is that the cosmic tree was Odin's horse, the gallows on which he hung for nine nights to gain the knowledge of the runes, so the tree itself was imagined as a mount for the god. Odin's self-sacrifice on the tree is the basis of that story. Not everyone accepts this reading. Some scholars instead connect the second element to a root meaning "to hold" or "to support," which would make the name something like "the support of Yggr," with the tree bearing up the cosmos. Both explanations appear in discussions of the name, and the evidence does not settle the question. English borrowed the word directly from Old Norse, so it keeps the Scandinavian form rather than passing through Latin or French, as many learned English words do.

Synonyms: world tree