Yggdrasil
Noun
- A huge ash tree located at the center of the earth, with three roots, one extending to Niflheim (the underworld), one to Jotunheim (land of the giants), and one to Asgard (land of the gods).
Example Sentences
“The library painted a large mural of the Yggdrasil tree in the garden as part of its Norwegian heritage programming.”
“If I ever get a tattoo, I want it to be of Yggdrasil and Odin.”
“My Norwegian grandfather used to tell me bedtime stories of Norse gods, but the story of the Yggdrasil tree was my favorite.”
Word Origin
Old Norse, late 18th century
Why this word?
Every culture has its own mythology and symbols passed through generations, but there are some recurring themes across the world. Yggdrasil is at the center of the earth in Norse mythology — its three roots extend to the underworld, the land of the giants, and the land of the gods. This powerful tree is echoed in the tree-of-life archetype across many ancient cultures, and as the tree of knowledge in the Judeo-Christian faith.