Omfatte

Omfatte is a verb used in several Scandinavian languages, including Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. It means to include, to comprise, or to cover a range or scope of elements. The term is commonly found in formal, administrative, academic, and business contexts, where it describes what a plan, program, area, or document encompasses.

Etymology and forms: The verb is built from the prefix om- (around, about) plus fatte (to grasp or take). In use, it takes language-specific inflections: for example, omfatter in Danish and Norwegian, or omfattar in Swedish, all conveying the sense “includes” or “encompasses.” The infinitive is omfatte, with the past participle omfattet and the present or imperfect forms like omfatter (Danish/Norwegian) or omfattar (Swedish). The core idea across languages is surrounding or embracing a set of components or elements.

Usage notes and examples: In Danish, one might say, “Skolen omfatter elever fra 7. til 9. klasse,” meaning the school includes students in those grades. In Norwegian, “Prosjektet omfatter flere delprosjekter” conveys that the project includes several subprojects. In Swedish, “Projektet omfattar flera faser” uses the same concept in a similar context. Beyond physical containment, omfatte is often used to describe coverage of topics, responsibilities, or conditions within a framework.

Related terms: Common related concepts include omfang (scope), omfattning (extent), and innefattar or innehålla in some contexts, which convey similar ideas of what is included or contained. The word is a staple for describing the breadth of a plan, policy, study, or organization.