Oppgjør

Oppgjør is a Norwegian noun meaning settlement, reckoning, or confrontation, derived from the verb oppgjøre, to settle or square accounts. The sense is broad and used across different domains while sharing a core idea of finalizing, resolving, or facing something.

In financial and accounting contexts, oppgjør denotes the settlement of transactions, the clearing of payments, and the final balancing of accounts between parties or institutions. In law and dispute resolution, oppgjør refers to a negotiated settlement or compensation agreed to settle a dispute without further litigation.

In sports and competition, oppgjør marks a head-to-head match between teams or athletes; it can denote the next meeting in a season, sometimes emphasizing rivalry (for example, a derby). In history and politics, oppgjør commonly means reckoning with the past, addressing wrongdoing, or dealing with the legacy of events, such as a post-war oppgjør or contexts involving truth-seeking and accountability.

In everyday language, oppgjør can also mean a personal confrontation or emotional reckoning with someone or with one’s actions, such as resolving a dispute or making peace after a confrontation. The term is often paired with adjectives or compounds to specify the domain, such as regnskapsoppgjør (settlement of accounts) or derbylike oppgjør in sports.