*Balraz
Runic: ᛒᚨᛚᚱᚨᛉ Pronunciation: /ˈbɑl.rɑz/proper noun · masculine · a-stem
Meanings
a Germanic god, best attested in Old Norse mythology, where he is a son of *Wōdanaz (‘Wodan/Odin’)
Etymology
Of disputed origin. Following Ginevra (2020: 189–192; 2023: 69–71), from Proto-Germanic *balra-, reflected in Old Norse Baldr with epenthetic *d between *l and *r. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰol(H)-r-ó-, a possessive derivative of the heteroclitic noun *bʰól(H)-r- ~ *bʰélH-n-, from root*bʰelH-; compare Old Irish god Balar, from Proto-Celtic *balar-o-, from PIE *bʰelHr-o- . Alternatively, the name has traditionally been connected with *balþaz, but its precise derivation from that adjective is problematic (Heidermanns 1993: 115–116); Liberman (2016: 248–260) argues that the theonym and the formally similar *balþaz/*baldr family are etymologically distinct.
Declension
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nom. | Balraz | – |
| Acc. | Balrą | – |
| Gen. | Balras, Balris | – |
| Dat. | Balrai | – |
| Inst. | Balrō | – |
| Voc. | Balr | – |
Descendants
- Balder (Old High German)
- Baldr (Old Norse)