shieldmaiden
Viking female fighter
A shieldmaiden is a woman warrior in Norse mythology and Viking legend, fighting alongside men in battle.
The term evokes images of armed women with shields and swords in Scandinavian sagas.
Modern fantasy fiction and games have revived the word: She trained as a shieldmaiden from childhood.
Sometimes used figuratively for any fierce, protective woman.
Hilted fighting blade
- battleArmed military engagement
- combatArmed hostile engagement
- spearPole with sharp point
- axeBladed tool for chopping
armor · fighter · warfare · siege · raid · berserker · conquest · infantry
Odin's death-selecting maiden
- sagaExtended heroic narrative
- VikingMedieval Nordic raider
- FreyaNorse love goddess
- BrynhildrLegendary Norse valkyrie
Scandinavia · Norse · longship · mead · runes · Odin · Thor · Ragnarok
Protective caretaker of another
- defenderOne who guards another
- sentinelGuard who monitors
- championTop competitor, or advocate
- wardenSupervisory custodian of place
bulwark · keeper · safeguard · escort · bastion · rampart · custodian · sworn
sword
Hilted fighting blade
axe · armor · fighter · warfare · siege · raid · berserker · conquest · infantry · skirmish
Valkyrie
Odin's death-selecting maiden
Brynhildr · Scandinavia · Norse · longship · mead · runes · Odin · Thor · Ragnarok · Asgard
guardian
Protective caretaker of another
warden · bulwark · keeper · safeguard · escort · bastion · rampart · custodian · sworn · oath
brave
Showing courage despite fear
- valiantCourageously determined
- courageousShowing bravery under threat
- fearlessLacking any apprehension
dauntless · bold · stalwart · resolute · intrepid · gallant · undaunted · valorous · steadfast · fierce
heroine
Brave female protagonist
myth · epic · quest · fantasy · trope · empowerment · icon · videogame · cosplay · reenactment
- femaleswoman, girl, lady, mother, daughter
- warrior womenBoudicca, Hippolyta, Hua Mulan, Joan of Arc, Mulan
- warriorsfighter, knight, footsoldier, barbarian, samurai
- strong womenwarrior, amazon, queen, empress, matriarch
- Viking societyjarl, thane, chieftain, thrall, freemen
- NorseOdin, Thor, Loki, Freya, Valhalla
shieldmaidenhomemaker
One who manages a household
housewife · lady of the house · domestic · weaver · spinster
shieldmaidencaptive
One held by force
prisoner · damsel in distress · war bride · camp follower · victim