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語源

Borrowed from Old Norse Yggdrasill; commonly accepted as being composed Yggr (“terrible”) + drasill (“steed”), where “steed” refers to a hanging tree or possibly from *dʰer- (“to hold, support”).

発音

• IPA: /ˈɪɡdɹəsɪl/

固有名詞

Yggdrasil

1. (Norse mythology) An immense ash tree that is central in Norse cosmology, believed to connect the nine worlds.
   • 1863, The London Quarterly Review, volumes 113-114, page 117:

     Yet it is not easy to pluck out the heart of its mystery; and the descriptions of certain ancient representatives of Yggdrasil do not lessen the difficulty.

   • 1963, Spike Milligan, chapter 1, in Puckoon, page 1:

     With nostrils and legs akimbo, she towered over him like some human Yggdrasill, blotting out the sun.

   • 1996, Carolyne Larrington (editor and translator), The Seeress's Prophecy, The Poetic Edda, page 6,

     I know that an ash-tree stands called Yggdrasill,

     a high tree, soaked with shining loam;

     from there come the dews which fall in the valley,

     ever green, it stands over the well of fate.

   • 2007, Bob Curran, Ian Daniels, Walking with the Green Man: Father of the Forest, Spirit of Nature, page 66:

     In Norse mythology, for example, the World Tree, or Yggdrasil, connected the nine existences that straddled the worlds of gods and men with its mighty roots. Yggdrasil was reputedly a gigantic ash tree (and was the central feature of Norse cosmology), around the base of which the serpent Níôhöggr had twisted its body.

   • 2007, J. A. Hunsinger, The Settlers: An Axe of Iron Novel, page 333:

     “Yggdrasil!” Gudbjartur's voice was filled with awe. “It is Yggdrasil, the world-tree!” He looked at Halfdan, his eyes wide. “The Sacred Grove is here in this land!”

Further reading

• Yggdrasil on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Norse cosmology § Nine Worlds on Wikipedia.Wikipedia