Rauða

Rauða is the Icelandic word for the color red. It functions as part of the color vocabulary and is used to describe objects, surfaces, and phenomena that are red. In Icelandic, adjectives inflect to agree with the gender, number, and definiteness of the noun they modify, so rauða appears as one of the inflected forms of the color adjective rauð-.

Etymology and related forms: The Icelandic word derives from Old Norse rauðr, which in turn comes from Proto-Germanic *raudaz. It has cognates in other Nordic languages, such as Swedish röd, Danish rød, and Norwegian rød, all of which reflect the same color root across Germanic languages. The modern Icelandic color forms include rauð- as the base stem, with various endings to fit grammatical context.

Usage and compounds: Rauða is used in everyday language to describe red things and in color descriptions such as “red wine” or “red clothing.” It also participates in compound terms and color phrases, for example forming expressions like blood-red in Icelandic through compounds such as blóðrauður. Beyond descriptions, red features in Icelandic symbolism and aesthetics, including references in literature, art, and design. The color is also present in the national flag, where red is a prominent part of the design.

See also: Color, Red in language, Icelandic language, Proto-Germanic.

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