Etymology

Varangian

Va·ran·gi·an
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Today it means: A member of the ethnically Scandinavian people around the borders of Constantinople in the ninth and tenth centuries. Full definition →

Medieval Greek Βάραγγος ← Medieval Latin Varingus ← Old Norse væringr
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The story

  1. Old Norse · derived fromværingr
  2. Medieval Latin · derived fromVaringus
  3. Medieval Greek · derived fromΒάραγγος
  4. English todayVarangian

Ultimately from Medieval Greek Βάραγγος (Bárangos), from Medieval Latin Varingus, from Old Norse væringr, from várr (“pledge”) or værr (“pledge”), which is cognate with Old English wǣr (“fidelity, loyalty”), + Old Norse gangi (“companion”). Cognate with Old English wærgenga.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.