vidunder

Earlier also vedunder, from Old Danish withundhær, a compound of ved (“with”) +‎ under (“wonder”). Compare also Norwegian Nynorsk vedunder, Norwegian Bokmål, Swedish vidunder.

• IPA^(key): [ˈʋiðˌɔnˀɐ]

vidunder n (singular definite vidunderet, plural indefinite vidundere)

1. wonder, marvel

• vidunderlig

• “vidunder” in Den Danske Ordbog

A compound of ved (“with”) +‎ under (“wonder”). Compare also Norwegian Nynorsk vedunder, Swedish, Danish vidunder.

vidunder n (definite singular vidunderet or vidundret, indefinite plural vidunder or vidundere or vidundre, definite plural vidundera or vidunderne or vidundra or vidundrene)

1. a wonder, marvel, miracle

• underverk

• vidunderbarn
• vidunderlig

• vedunder (Nynorsk)

• “vidunder” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Inherited from Old Swedish vidhunder (“wonder; omen”): viþer +‎ under. By surface analysis, vid (preposition) +‎ under (noun), the prefix cognate to with, and the suffix to wonder.

The sense of monster since 1624.

Comparable terms in other languages: Japanese 怪獣 (kaijū)

vidunder n

1. (large, mystical) monster, monstrosity, especially animalistic beings in fairy tales and the like

   Synonym: odjur

2. (obsolete) (remarkable or astonishing) event, phenomenon
   1. miracle
   2. omen
   3. wonder, marvel, astonishment
   4. spectacle, ridicule

• vidunderlig

• vidunder in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• vidunder in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• vidunder in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• vidunder in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)