Droevigst

Droevigst is a Danish-language superlative form typically described as meaning the saddest or most sorrowful. It is formed from the adjective droevig, meaning sad, by adding the common Danish superlative suffix -st. In contemporary standard Danish, the form is rare and often confined to dialectal, historical, or stylistic usage. More common in everyday language are periphrastic expressions such as mest droevig or the related forms with alternatives like det mest sørgelige.

Usage and nuance: Droevigst can function as a predicate or predicative modifier in poetic or emphatic contexts. Because Danish frequently prefers periphrasis for the superlative, droevigst appears mainly in literature, rhetoric, or archaic registers rather than in ordinary speech. When the goal is clear yet more natural-sounding, speakers may choose phrasing like "det mest droevige" or synonyms such as "meget trist" or "mest sørgeligt," depending on register and nuance.

Historical and regional notes: The exact frequency of droevigst varies by region and period. It is more likely to be encountered in older Danish texts or in poetry where compact, emphatic expression is valued. Some modern dictionaries may note it as a less common form, and users often opt for periphrastic constructions in current usage.

See also: Danish grammar, Danish adjectives, superlatives, droevig, sørgelig, trist.