Hvítur

Hvítur is the Icelandic adjective meaning “white.” It describes color and, like other adjectives in Icelandic, agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case. The masculine singular nominative form is hvítur. Icelandic adjectives have forms for feminine and neuter as well as definite forms, so the appearance of hvítur changes depending on the noun and the construction.

Etymology and cognates: Hvítur comes from Old Norse hvít, and is part of a common Germanic root found in many languages. It is cognate with English white and with related words in other Nordic languages such as Swedish vit, Norwegian hvit, and Danish hvid. The word illustrates how color terms have remained stable across the Germanic language family while adapting to modern Icelandic grammar.

Usage: Hvítur is used to describe objects, beings, or weather that are white. It appears in attributive position before a noun, for example, a white horse can be rendered as hvítur hestur. In predicative use, it can describe the color of a subject with the verb “to be,” with the form adapting to the subject’s gender and number.

See also: Color words in Icelandic; Icelandic grammar of adjectives; toponyms and place names that incorporate color terms.