Blaðs

Blaðs is the genitive singular form of the Icelandic noun blað, which means leaf or sheet. The base noun blað covers the leaf of a plant as well as a sheet or leaf of parchment or paper in historical or descriptive contexts. In botany and related discussions, blað is the standard term for the organ responsible for photosynthesis and other leaf functions, while blaðs (the genitive singular) is used when indicating possession or relation, such as in phrases like litur blaðsins, “the color of the leaf.”

Etymology and cognates: Blað is of Old Norse origin and has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, including Danish blad, Norwegian blad, and Swedish blad, all referring to a leaf or sheet. The Icelandic form blað and its genitive blaðs reflect typical Germanic word-formation patterns found in the region.

Morphology and usage: The form blaðs is a grammatical inflection rather than a standalone lexical item. It appears in phrases that require the genitive singular, especially in descriptive or botanical writing. While blað remains the common term for a leaf, blaðs is encountered when a possessive or relational sense is needed (for example, describing the leaf’s characteristics or attributes).

See also: Blað (the base noun for leaf or sheet), Old Norse etymology of Germanic leaf/blad words, botanical Icelandic terminology.

Notes: In modern Icelandic usage, blað is the general noun for a leaf of a plant or a sheet of material, and blaðs is primarily encountered as the genitive singular form within sentences.