A kenning is a figure of speech in which a two-word phrase replaces a one-word noun. It is a type of circumlocution that employs figurative language in place of a more concrete single-word noun. Kennings are strongly associated with Old Norse-Icelandic and Old English poetry. They are often used in poetry for effect and can be metaphorical. A kenning has two parts: a base-word (also known as a head-word) and a determinant. The base-word is the thing, person, place, or being to which the kenning refers, while the determinant is a descriptive phrase that provides additional information about the base-word. For example, the base-word of the kenning "íss rauðra randa" (icicle of red shields . Some examples of kennings include "whale-path" or "swan road" for "sea," "Gods beacon" for "sun," or "ring-giver" for "king". While kennings are most common and noticeable in Old English and Norse poetry, there are some modern phrases or idioms that fit the general kenning form.