margr

Either an independent word from Proto-Germanic *margaz related to mor and merja, or derived from mangr (from Proto-Germanic *managaz (“many, much”)) under the influence of such words. Cognate with Old English maniġ, Old Frisian monich, Old Saxon manag, Old Dutch manag, Old High German manag, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌲𐍃 (manags).

margr (comparative fleiri, superlative flestr)

1. many, a lot of
2. (figuratively) friendly, communicative

This word has a suppletive inflection, using another root in the comparative and superlative forms, than in the positive form. Note also the g dropping in the nominative and accusative singular neuter forms (= mart).

• margspakr (“sagacious, very wise”)
• margfróðr (“very learned”)
• ofmargr (“too many”)

• Icelandic: margur
• Faroese: margur
• Old Swedish: margher, marghin
  • Swedish: marg
• Old Danish: margh
• → English: marra, marrow (dialectal)

margr m

1. great number

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “margr”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive