Ryggene

Ryggene is the definite plural form of the Norwegian noun rygg, which has several related meanings touching the back, the spine, or a ridge. The term is used in different contexts, including human and animal anatomy as well as geology and geography. It often appears in scientific, medical, and general descriptive language to refer to multiple backs or to elongated raised features such as ridges.

In anatomy and biology, rygg denotes the back of a vertebrate, including the region along the dorsal side and, in some contexts, the spinal column or spinal area. The plural ryggene is used when discussing more than one back or multiple dorsal features, for example when comparing backs across species or describing a group of individuals.

In geology and physical geography, rygg is used to describe a ridge, crest, or elongated raised feature such as a mountain ridge or a submarine/oceanic ridge. The plural ryggene can be used when referring to several ridges in a region or on a map, for instance when listing different geological structures or landscapes.

Etymology and grammar: rygg derives from Old Norse ryggr, related to other Germanic languages such as Swedish rygg and Danish ryg. In Bokmål Norwegian, rygg adopts the definite plural form ryggene. The term is thus polysemous, with distinctions evident from context.

See also: rygg, ryggrad, ryggmarg, midthavsrygg.