*valkyria*

n. [ Icel. valkyrja (akin to AS. wælcyrie); valr the slain + kjōsa to choose. See Valhalla, and Choose. ] (Scand. Myth.) One of the maidens of Odin, represented as awful and beautiful, who presided over battle and marked out those who were to be slain, and who also ministered at the feasts of heroes in Valhalla. Now commonly written Valkyrie. [ Written also Valkyr, Valkyrie, Walkyrie and Walkyr. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]