Phrase guide

sword letter

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

in Nordic folklore: an amulet, a type of "galder letter" (worn written spell), which protects against damage in war, especially sword wounds

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: arts, folklore, history, human-sciences, literature, media, publishing, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Calque of North Germanic, compare: Danish sværdbrev, Swedish svärdbrev, Norwegian Nynorsk sverdbrev; compound of sword + letter.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: sværdbrev — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Danish: sverdbrev swerdtbreff — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Danish: suerdbreff — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Danish: suerbreff — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Danish: suerd breff — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Danish: suerdbreffue — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Old Danish: sværdbrev — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Old Swedish: swærdhbref — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Low German: swertbreue — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Middle Low German: swertbref — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: sverdbrev — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Swedish: svärdbrev — protection amulet in Nordic folklore
  • Swedish: svärdsbrev — protection amulet in Nordic folklore