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Val·hal·la

(văl-hălə, väl-hälə) also Wal·hal·la (wăl-hălə, văl-, wäl-hälə, väl-)

n.
Norse Mythology

The hall in which Odin received the souls of slain heroes.

[New Latin, from Old Norse Valhöll : valr, the slain in battle; see welə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + höll, hall, hall; see kel-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

(click for a larger image)

Valhalla

folio from a 1680 Icelandic manuscript

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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