Skipaður

Skipaður is an Icelandic adjective and the past participle of the verb skipa, meaning to appoint or designate. It denotes that a person or, less commonly, an entity has been officially assigned to a post, task, or duty by an authority. In practice, skipaður describes someone who has been appointed to a position, such as a minister, director, or committee member. It is used primarily in formal language, government communications, and media reports. For example, Hann var skipaður í embætti ráðherra. Nefndin gaf skipun um tvo fulltrúa sem voru skipaðir í stjórn.

Grammatical note: Skipaður declines like other Icelandic adjectives of the -aður class and agrees with gender, number, and case. Typical forms include masculine singular skipaður, feminine singular skipuð, neuter singular skipað, and corresponding plural forms for each gender. The exact endings follow the standard Icelandic adjective declension pattern for -aður adjectives.

Etymology: The word comes from the Icelandic verb skipa, “to appoint” or “to order,” with the suffix -aður forming a past participle adjective.

Usage and nuance: Skipaður carries a formal, official tone and is commonly used to indicate appointment to offices, bodies, or roles. It should not be confused with orð sem signify election (valinn) or other methods of selection. In news reports and official documents, you may see phrases such as “skipaður í embætti” or “skipaðir stjórnarmenn.”

See also: skipun, skipa, skipaembættis, skipaður (alternate form in some contexts).