Skadefulle

Skadefulle is an adjective found in Norwegian and Danish texts, historically used to mean injurious or capable of causing damage. In modern Norwegian, the most common terms for this sense are skadelig (singular) and skadelige (plural). Skadefulle is now largely regarded as archaic, regional, or literary and is seldom used in everyday language. It often appears in older legal, medical, or moral writings to emphasize the harmful nature of a substance, action, or influence.

Etymology and form: the form is built from the noun skade ("damage, harm") combined with a suffix related to "full of," a pattern common in Germanic languages. The spelling and usage have varied regionally and historically, with Danish texts more often adopting skadelige or skadefulde forms.

Usage and examples: in contemporary texts, skadefulle may be encountered primarily for stylistic effect, in historical narratives, or in translations that aim to reproduce older diction. For neutral descriptions of health risks or regulations, standard terms such as skadelig or skadelige are preferred. Example: "Skadefulle virkninger av eksponering bør unngås" would today more idiomatically read "Skadelige virkninger av eksponering bør unngås."

See also: harm, health risk, toxicology, safety regulation.