Fyrnsidu fyrnsɪdʊ is Anglo-Saxon Heathenry; it is a compound word combining fyrn meaning “ancient” or “old” and sidu meaning “custom” or “habit” in Old English. We take Fyrnsidu to mean “the old ways,” or more generally as a term in Old English for polytheism (belief and worship of multiple gods). The “new way” would then be monotheism (belief and worship in a single god)–we have returned to the old ways, polytheism. Fyrnsidu is a linguistic cognate to Forn Sed, or “the old ways” but in the Old Norse language (more properly “forn siðr”). A Fyrnsidere fyrnsɪdɛrɛ is a practitioner of Fyrnsidu.
by Sokoly May 3, 2023