herre

Etymology

From Old Norse herri, herra, from Old Saxon hērro, from Old High German hēriro, hērro, the comparative form of hēr (“noble, venerable”) (German hehr), by analogy with Latin senior (“elder”).^[1] The Old High German word originally meant "grey, grey-haired", and descends from Proto-Germanic *hairaz (“grey”), making it cognate with Old English hār (English hoar), Old Norse hárr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhêɾe/

Noun

herre m (definite singular herren, indefinite plural herrer, definite plural herrene)

1. gentleman, man

   Han kler seg som en virkelig herre.

   He dresses like a real gentleman.

   Mine damer og herrer!

   Ladies and gentlemen.

2. master, lord, ruler

   Knut den mektige var herre over Norge på 1000-tallet.

   Cnut the Great was ruler of Norway in the 11th century.

References

• “herre” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology 1

From Old Norse herra, herri, from Old Saxon hērro, from Old High German hēriro, hērro, the comparative form of hēr (“noble, venerable”) (German hehr), by analogy with Latin senior (“elder”).^[1]

Etymology 2

From Old Norse hérna.

References

• “herre” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Etymology

From Old Norse herri, herra, from Old Saxon hērro, from Old High German hēriro, hērro, the comparative form of hēr (“noble, venerable”) (German hehr), by analogy with Latin senior (“elder”).^[1] The Old High German word originally meant "grey, grey-haired", and descends from Proto-Germanic *hairaz (“grey”), making it cognate with Old English hār (English hoar), Old Norse hárr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /²hɛrːɛ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

herre c

1. a man, a gentleman, a sir (respected man, respectful way to refer to a man)

   mina damer och herrar

   (my) ladies and gentlemen

   Vi talade med en äldre herre

   We spoke to an older gentleman

   I fjol så gick jag med herrarna i hagen

   Last year I went with the men in the pasture (traditional song)

   Hon fick herrbesök igår

   She had a gentleman caller (male visitor) yesterday ("She got gentleman visit yesterday" – tongue-in-cheek implies a romantic liaison)

   • (Can we date this quote?), traditional (lyrics and music), “I fjol så gick jag med herrarna i hagen [Last year I went with the men in the pasture]”, in Skillingtryck [Broadside ballads]‎, performed by Hootenanny Singers:

     I fjol så gick jag med herrarna i hagen. Ja, ja, med herrarna i hagen. Ja, med herrarna i hagen. I år har jag något som sparkar i magen. Aj, aj, som sparkar i magen. Aj, som sparkar i magen.

     Last year I went with the men in the pasture. Yes, yes, with the men in the pasture. Yes, with the men in the pasture. This year I have something that kicks in my belly. Ow, ow, that kicks in my belly. Ow, that kicks in my belly.

   • 1974, Björn Afzelius (lyrics and music), “En kungens man [A man of the king [literally, "A the-king's man"]]”‎:

     Då möter hon en herre, på en häst med yvig man. Han säger: "Jag är kungens man, så jag tar vad jag vill ha. Och du är alltför vacker, för att inte ha nån [någon] man. Följ med mig in i skogen [så] ska jag visa vad jag kan."

     Then she meets a man ["gentleman," "sir," or "lord" sounds off in tone here], on a horse with a bushy mane. He says: "I am a man of the king, so I take what I want. And you are much too beautiful, to not have a man. Come with me into the forest and I will show you what I can do [show what I can]."

2. a lord, a master ((male) person with more or less unrestricted authority over another person or group of people (or having control over a thing, by extension))

   folk och herrar

   people and lords

   slavens herre

   the master of the slave

   vara sin egen herre

   be one's own master (idiomatic)

   Ja, min herre och mästare. Säg vad jag ska göra så gör jag det, ty du är herre över mig.

   Yes, my lord and master. Tell me what to do and I will do it, for you are the master of [over] me.

   Skeletor vill bli herre över universum

   Skeletor wants to become the master of [over] the universe

   Människan vill göra sig till herre över naturkrafterna

   [The] man wants to make himself master of [over] the forces of nature

   Ingen kan tjäna två herrar

   No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24)

3. (when capitalized: Herren) The Lord

   HERREN är min herde, mig skall intet fattas

   The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. (Psalms 23:1)

References

• herre in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• herre in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• herre in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)