Bosettere

Bosettere is a Norwegian term that means settlers, i.e., people who establish residence in a new place. The noun is the plural form of bosetter, and it derives from the verb bosette, meaning to settle or establish a home. In usage, it generally refers to groups or individuals who begin living in a locale that is new to them, whether within a country or abroad.

Historically, the word is used in narratives about migration and colonization. It can describe waves of emigrants who founded communities in new regions, such as rural areas opened for settlement or colonization projects, as well as Norwegians who settled in North America during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The concept also appears in discussions of overseas or frontier settlement in other eras and places.

In contemporary Norwegian, bosettere is most often found in historical or descriptive contexts rather than everyday speech. It can refer to new residents in developing regions or to groups involved in planned settlement schemes. The term has cognates in other Scandinavian languages: Swedish bosättare and Danish bosættere, reflecting a shared Germanic root related to establishing a home in a new place.

See also: migration, colonization, settlement.