Løyse

Løyse is a Norwegian word that occurs mainly in nynorsk and in some regional dialects, and it covers related senses connected to loosening, release, and solving. In general use, løyse functions as a verb meaning to loosen or untie, and as a verb meaning to solve or resolve a problem. As a noun, løyse can refer to the act of loosening or releasing something, and in some contexts it is used to denote a solution or answer to a question. In historic or literary Norwegian, the term may also convey a sense of liberation or release.

Etymologically, løyse is cognate with the Danish løse and the Swedish lösa, all rooted in a common Germanic heritage for the idea of loosening or solving. The Norwegian form reflects orthographic variation found in nynorsk, where spelling often mirrors older or dialectal pronunciations. Because of this, løyse appears mainly in dialectal writing, in nynorsk texts, and in linguistic discussions about Norwegian orthography and vocabulary.

Usage notes include that in standard Bokmål and widely used nynorsk, more common words for the same concepts are løse (to loosen or to solve) and løsning or løysing (a solution). Therefore, løyse is typically encountered in regional usage, historical texts, or academic discussions about language variation. Examples include using løyse to describe loosening a knot or to discuss finding a løyse on a problem in a dialectical sense.

See also: løysing, løysa, løysa (variants in related Scandinavian languages).