Kvinnen

Kvinnen is a noun in Norwegian meaning “the woman.” It is the definite singular form of the base noun kvinne, which denotes an adult female person. The indefinite form is en kvinne. The word is used in everyday speech, media, and literature to refer to a specific woman, and it is commonly paired with the masculine counterpart mannen (the man).

Across related Scandinavian languages, cognate forms exist. In Danish, the corresponding word for “woman” is kvinde, with the definite singular kvinden. In Swedish, the equivalent is kvinna, with the definite form kvinnan. These forms reflect a common pattern in the region where definite nouns are formed by suffixes attached to the base noun.

Origin and cognates: Kvinne and its Danish and Swedish counterparts descend from the North Germanic branch of the Germanic language family. The exact spelling and pronunciation differ by language, but all derive from a shared Proto-Nordic root for “woman.” The term is part of a broader set of gendered nouns used in Nordic languages.

Usage notes: The term is gendered, as are many nouns in Norwegian and Danish. Contemporary usage in these languages includes ongoing discussions about gender-neutral language in some contexts, while standard terms like kvinnen, kvinden, and kvinnan remain common in everyday use.