Dødsfallet

Dødsfallet is the definite singular form of the Norwegian noun dødsfall, which denotes the occurrence of death or fatalities. In general usage, dødsfall describes a death event or a number of deaths within a given context, while the definite form dødsfallet is used when referring to a specific death or to a particular incident’s fatalities.

Etymology and grammar: dødsfall is a compound composed of døds- (death) and fall (an event or occurrence). The word is used in both formal and informal Norwegian, with dødsfallet serving as the definite singular, dødsfall as the indefinite or plural form depending on number and article. The plural definite form is dødsfallene, and the indefinite plural is dødsfall.

Usage: Dødsfall appears in medical, legal, administrative, and media contexts to indicate fatalities. It is common in obituaries, official reports, and statistics, for example when counting or discussing deaths in a disaster, disease outbreak, or accident. In journalism, reporters may write et dødsfall (one death) or flere dødsfall (several deaths); the singular dødsfallet can refer to a specific fatality event mentioned earlier in the text. A related term is dødstall or dødstall, used more specifically to denote a death toll in aggregate.

See also: Related Norwegian terms include død (the state of being dead) and døde (the deceased), as well as dødstall for aggregated fatalities and dødsfallstatistikk for statistics on fatalities.

Notes: The term is neutral and factual, used primarily in formal reporting, record-keeping, and formal writing.