Definitions
Sorry, no definitions found. Check out and contribute to the discussion of this word!
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word ovda.
Examples
Sorry, no example sentences found.
whichbe commented on the word ovda
Evil Finnish deep-forest demon. "Don't go into the woods on your own." If you are a woman, and a naked man advances towards you with his feet pointing backwards, you have no chance. It's him. If you are a man it will be a naked woman likewise. You will be danced or tickled to death. And then eaten. If you go as a pair it may confuse him... (From Godchecker.com)
August 8, 2008
qroqqa commented on the word ovda
Not a Finnish name. There are enough web hits in a Finnish mythology context that aren't just this Godchecker text repeated, to suggest it is genuine; in which case it is probably Lappish (Saami). There is a feature on Venus named after a 'titaness', but it's not a Greek titaness, obviously (not a Greek name), and the word 'Marijian' has percolated in as if that's a kind of mythology—but the word means nothing to me, and the Marijian/Ovda/titaness/mythology connexion only occurs in explanation of this venerian feature. Someone's been sold a pup, is my guess.
August 8, 2008
whichbe commented on the word ovda
Hm. I will have to make more efforts to cross-check with these. I only have a few minutes a day to invest in this rather silly demon project.
August 8, 2008
qroqqa commented on the word ovda
Well, to me 'Finnish' automatically means Finnish-language, and Ovda isn't, but your source is correct enough in calling it Finnish if it's from the Saami of northern Finland. That's not the problem: it's a much greater sloppiness that seems to have crept into astronomical naming. They're no experts on mythology or language, so once someone tells the IAU something plausible it can get stuck as apparent fact.
August 8, 2008
yarb commented on the word ovda
All in all it doesn't sound like the most awful of demons.
August 8, 2008
reesetee commented on the word ovda
Are you kidding? Feet on backwards? Heinous.
August 11, 2008
bilby commented on the word ovda
Though 'danced or tickled to death' sound like some of the better ways to go.
August 11, 2008
yarb commented on the word ovda
There is something bad-trippy about the backwards feet, I grant you. But the dancing and tickling mitigates to a great extent.
August 11, 2008
reesetee commented on the word ovda
I suppose so. But naked to boot? *shivers* For heaven's sake, put some shoes on!
August 11, 2008