Freyja

Freyja

Freyja

In Norse* mythology, Freyja was the goddess of love and fertility, associated with affairs of the heart. According to one Norse source, "all lovers would do well to invoke her." Her identification with love and passion led other deities to condemn her behavior. The trickster god Loki claimed that Freyja was the lover of all of the gods and accused her of sleeping with her twin brother, Freyr, the god of fertility and prosperity.

One story about Freyja explained how she acquired her favorite possession, the Necklace of the Brisings, made by four dwarfs. She agreed to spend a night with each of the dwarfs in exchange for the necklace. However, Loki later crept into Sessrumnir, Freyja's heavenly home, while Freyja was sleeping and stole the precious necklace.

In addition to being concerned with matters of love, Freyja had links with death and the world of the dead. Half of all the warriors who died in battle were given to her; the other half went to Odin, ruler of the gods. Freyja was associated with Frigg, goddess of marriage. Some scholars have suggested that the two goddesses represent different aspects of the same deity, who oversaw both love and motherhood.

See also Freyr; Frigg; Loki; Norse Mythology.

deity god or goddesss

trickster mischievous figure appearing in various forms in the folktales and mythology of many different peoples

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"Freyja." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Freya

Freya ♀ Of Old Norse origin. Freya or Fröja was the goddess of love in Scandinavian mythology. Her name is most probably derived from an ancient North Germanic word related to Old High German frouwa ‘lady’ (modern German Frau). The name has long been a traditional one in Shetland and is now in general use in England and Scotland. It came to prominence in the late 1990s. A notable modern bearer was the explorer and writer Freya Stark (1893–1993).

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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Freya." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Freya." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Freya.html

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Freya." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Freya.html

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Freyja

Freyja or Freya , Norse goddess of love, marriage, and fertility. Her identity and attributes were often confused with those of the goddess Frigg. As a deity of the dead, Freyja was entitled to half the warriors killed in battle, the other half going to Odin. She was the sister of the god Frey and was frequently represented as riding in a chariot drawn by cats.

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"Freyja." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Freyja." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Freyja.html

"Freyja." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Freyja.html

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Freya

Freya ♀ (Scottish) Of Old Norse origin: as Freya or Fröja, borne by the goddess of love in Scandinavian mythology, and probably derived from a word related to Old High German frouwa ‘lady, mistress’. It has long been a traditional name in Shetland, and is now more widely popular.

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PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Freya." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Freya." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Freya1.html

PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Freya." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Freya1.html

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Freya

Freyaabaya, betrayer, conveyor, Eritrea, flayer, Freya, gainsayer, layer, Malaya, Marbella, Maya, Mayer, Nouméa, obeyer, payer, player, portrayer, prayer, preyer, purveyor, slayer, sprayer, stayer, strayer, surveyor, waylayer, weigher •tracklayer • bricklayer • minelayer •record-player • taxpayer • ratepayer •naysayer • soothsayer • crocheter

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"Freya." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Freya." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Freya.html

"Freya." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Freya.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

BRITISH trio Mhairi Spence, Freyja [...].(Sport)
Newspaper article from: Daily Mail (London); 5/30/2011
BEYOND CRUEL; Two sisters have rare condition which affects just 600 in...
Newspaper article from: The Mirror (London, England); 3/9/2011
Thanks with all my love.
Newspaper article from: Buxton Advertiser (Buxton, England); 7/19/2007

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