Etterlevd

Etterlevd is a Norwegian term used to describe people or things that remain alive or are left behind after someone’s death. In practice it is most often found in obituaries, death notices, and legal documents to indicate who survived the deceased. The term is frequently used in phrases such as “etterlevende ektefelle” (surviving spouse) and “etterlevende barn” (surviving children).

Etymology and related forms: Etterlevd derives from the elements etter (after, following) and levd, the past participle of å leve (to live). In contemporary Norwegian the related adjective etterlevende (surviving) is commonly used, and there are cognates in neighboring Scandinavian languages, such as Danish efterlevende and Swedish efterlevande.

Usage and contexts: In genealogical and inheritance contexts, etterlevd specifies the relatives who outlive the deceased. In death notices, it helps identify survivors and their relation to the deceased. The term is primarily descriptive rather than normative and is typically found in formal or semi-formal language.

Translations: In English, etterlevd is most closely translated as surviving or survivors, depending on the grammatical construction. Common renderings include “surviving spouse,” “surviving children,” or simply “survivors” in obituaries and legal texts.

See also: Survived, Survivor, Obituary, Inheritance law, Death notice, Etterlevende, Ef­terlevende (cognates in other Scandinavian languages).

Note: While used primarily in Norwegian, the concept parallels similar terms in Danish and Swedish, reflecting a shared linguistic heritage in describing persons who outlive someone else.