A man who practises seiðr, often stigmatised as unmanly.
Seiðmaðr is the designation for a male practitioner of seiðr. Because seiðr required a passive, receptive state it was considered unsuitable for men under Norse gender norms, and male practitioners risked being called ergi.
Despite the stigma, Óðinn is described as the supreme seiðmaðr, a paradox reflecting his dual nature as both war god and master of sorcery. Male seiðmenn also appear in fornaldarsögur.
Attestations
- Lokasenna, str. 24
- Loki accuses Óðinn of practising seiðr, calling him ergi.