Meanings
alternative Surtr
- Norsehuman sciencesA very powerful jotun (giant) and chief of Muspellheim, described in the Eddas as wielding a flaming (or shining) sword and as battling the gods and killing Freyr during Ragnarok.
In Journey into Mystery #97 (1963), writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/cc-plotter Jack Kirby introduced their version of Surtur, one of the greatest enemies of the gods in Norse mythology.
2006, Gina Renée Misiroglu, Michael Eury, The Supervillain Book: The Evil Side of Comics and Hollywood, page not identified2 more examples
(Muspelheim, we suppose, with its numerous fiery inhabitants, and their mighty chief Surtur, the dark, the incomprehensible, the great evil principle, had no beginning; or if it had, the Odinian theologians were unacquainted with it.)
1839, Samuel Astley Dunham, History of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, volume 2, page 441847 [1770], Paul Henri Mallet, Thomas Percy (translator), I. A. Blackwell, Walter Scott (editors), Northern Antiquities, [1756, Paul Henri Mallet, Monuments de la mythologie et de la poesie des Celtes, et particulierement des anciens Scandinaves], page 496, We must also remark, that in the Eddaic Poems there is no mention made of Surtur and the Elves of Light existing in Muspellheim previous to the formation of Ymir, […] .
Origin
- Old NorseSurtr“the swarthy one”
- EnglishSurtur
From Old Norse Surtr (“the swarthy one”).
More words from Old Norse
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Surtur. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Surtur
“Surtur.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Surtur. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Surtur,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Surtur.
Source: Surtur on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.