Viking

American  

[vahy-king] / ˈvaɪ kɪŋ /

noun

(sometimes lowercase)

1. any of the Scandinavian pirates who plundered the coasts of Europe from the 8th to 10th centuries.

2. a sea-roving bandit; pirate.

3. a Scandinavian.

4. U.S. Aerospace. one of a series of space probes that obtained scientific information about Mars.

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Viking British  

/ ˈvaɪkɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called: Norseman.   Northman.  any of the Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes who raided by sea most of N and W Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries, later often settling, as in parts of Britain

2. any sea rover, plunderer, or pirate

3. either of two unmanned American spacecraft that reached Mars in 1976

4. (modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of a Viking or Vikings

   a Viking ship

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Etymology

Origin of Viking

1800–10; < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse vīkingr; compare Old English wīcing pirate; etymology disputed

Example Sentences

“The Vikings are mourning the loss of Ring of Honor member Joey Browner,” the team said Sunday in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

Its origins are a mystery, but it was thought to have been made on Iona before being taken to Kells in Ireland by monks who survived a Viking attack on the Hebridean isle.

From BBC

Viewpoint 10, Monroe 0: The Vikings lost for the first time after a 13-0 start.

From Los Angeles Times

Two years later, the team hired Warren, who oversaw the construction of the Minnesota Vikings’ U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal

Not content with inspiring Norwegians through his success as a footballer, Erling Haaland wants to do so through history - by teaching them about the Vikings.

From BBC