óvirk

óvirk is an Icelandic adjective meaning not active, inactive, or nonfunctional. It is formed from virk, meaning active, functioning, or productive, with the negating prefix ó-. The form agrees with gender and number: masculine óvirkur, feminine óvirk, neuter óvirkt.

In everyday language, óvirk describes things or processes that are not in operation. It can refer to machines or systems that are not functioning, as in a nonoperational device, or to activities that are not currently active. When describing people, óvirkur can be used to indicate someone who is not participating in paid work or formal productive activity, though it is primarily descriptive and can carry varying connotations depending on context.

In statistical or policy contexts, óvirkur is commonly used to denote individuals outside the labor force, such as students, homemakers, retirees, or others not seeking employment. In such use, it contrasts with virkur, meaning active or employed, to categorize participation in the economy without making judgments about individual worth.

Grammatically, the neuter form is óvirkt for non-personal topics, while óvirkur (masculine) and óvirk (feminine) align with the noun they modify, for example: óvirkur bíll (an inactive car), óvirk vél (an inactive machine), and óvirkt tæki (an inactive device).

Overall, óvirk is a neutral term used across everyday language and formal discourse to describe non-active status, whether in objects, processes, or people.