Forfølger

Forfølger is a Norwegian noun meaning a person or entity that pursues someone or something. The word is formed from the verb forfølge, to pursue or chase, with the agent suffix -er. A forfølger can refer to a law enforcement officer, a hunter, a detective, or a stalker, depending on the context. In clinical or psychiatric language, the term may describe a person believed to be pursuing someone in a persecutory delusion, for example in reports about paranoia or delusions of persecution.

The act of pursuing or persecuting is expressed by the related noun forfølgelse. The term følger (without the prefix for-) denotes a follower in the sense of someone who follows passively, such as a social media follower. The two forms are related etymologically but have distinct meanings in everyday use.

In usage, forfølger emphasizes active pursuit or harassment rather than mere following. Examples: "Politiet sporet forfølgeren og pågrep ham" (The police traced the pursuer and arrested him). "Hun frykter at hun blir forfulgt av en nabo" (She fears she is being stalked by a neighbor). The word is common in news reports, legal contexts, and descriptive writing when describing someone who chases, stalks, or harasses another person.

See also: følger, forfølgelse, stalking.