Sjúklingurinn

Sjúklingurinn is the definite form of the Icelandic noun sjúklingur, meaning "the patient." It is used in medical and general contexts to refer to a person who is ill or under medical care. Icelandic marks definiteness on the noun itself, so definite forms like sjúklingurinn appear without separate articles.

Etymology and form: The base noun sjúklingur denotes a sick person. The definite singular form is created by adding the suffix -inn, yielding sjúklingurinn. The indefinite singular is sjúklingur. In the plural, the indefinite form is sjúklingar and the definite plural is sjúklingarnir. Like other Icelandic nouns, the definite ending attaches to the noun rather than to a separate determiner.

Usage: Sjúklingurinn is common in hospitals, clinics, and medical writing, as well as news reporting and everyday speech when a specific patient is referenced. The definite form is used when the patient is known to both speaker and listener or has been previously mentioned. For example: Sjúklingurinn liggur í rúminu sínu. The hospital staff will attend to the patient, and discussions may shift between sjúklingurinn and others involved in care.

See also: sjúkrahús (hospital); sjúkdómur (disease); meðferð (treatment). The term reflects Icelandic grammar where definiteness is conveyed through noun suffixes rather than separate articles, a characteristic feature of the language.