Avhjelp

Avhjelp is a Norwegian noun that denotes relief or assistance that removes a burden or obligation from a person or organization. It describes the act of providing help in a way that frees someone from performing a task, dealing with a problem, or carrying an obligation, at least for a period of time or under certain conditions.

The word is formed from the prefix av-, indicating removal or cessation, and hjelp, meaning help. In contemporary Norwegian, avhjelp is relatively formal and is most often found in administrative, institutional, or legal texts rather than in everyday speech.

Usage of avhjelp typically involves arrangements where someone is relieved from duties or responsibilities, or where support is provided as a substitute to reduce workload or stress. Examples might include temporary staffing to cover a vacancy, relief measures in social or healthcare contexts, or formal provisions that lessen an individual’s immediate obligations. The term can appear in official documents, guidelines, and policy discussions where the focus is on distributing tasks or mitigating burdens.

Related terms include avlastning (relief or relief of burden) and hjelp (help). While avhjelp emphasizes the aspect of relieving a burden, avlastning is often used to describe the process or result of reducing workload, and hjelps generally covers assistance in a broader sense. Avhjelp remains a relatively specialized word, most clear in formal communications and policy language.