tungl (Icelandic)
Where does "tungl" come from?
The Icelandic word 'tungl,' meaning moon or satellite, descends directly from the Old Norse 'tungl.' This term traces back to the Proto-Germanic '*tunglą,' an ancient word for an orb or luminary whose exact origins remain a subject of scholarly debate. While some theories suggest a link to Proto-Indo-European concepts of covering or shining, the word's true etymological roots remain shrouded in linguistic mystery.
Full etymology tree
- tungl (Icelandic), 'a moon'
- inherited tungl (Old Norse), 'moon'
- inherited *tunglą (Proto-Germanic), 'luminary, orb'
- inherited tungl (Old Norse), 'moon'
Ancestors
- tungl (Old Norse)
- *tunglą (Proto-Germanic)
Descendants and derived words
- gervitungl (Icelandic)
- tunglmyrkvi (Icelandic)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris