Sveip

Sveip is a Norwegian term used to describe the act of moving a finger across a touchscreen or other surface to interact with a device. It functions as a borrowed concept from the English word swipe and is commonly found in Norwegian tech journalism, manuals, and everyday language when referring to gesture-based controls on smartphones, tablets, and touchpads.

In practice, a sveip involves placing a finger on a screen and sliding it in a direction—usually horizontally or vertically—to perform an action such as scrolling, switching between screens, or dismissing an alert. It is distinct from tapping, which is a short press, and from dragging, which often implies a longer or more deliberate movement. User interfaces frequently describe swipe gestures to navigate content, reveal hidden menus, or manage items (for example, swiping left to delete or right to archive in many apps).

Linguistically, the term is used both as a noun (en sveip) and as a borrowed verb (å sveipe) in everyday Norwegian. The concept is analogous in other Nordic languages, though each language uses its own term for the gesture. In technology discussions, sveip is typically framed as a primary, intuitive input method for touch devices and is often contrasted with taps and long-presses in instructional material.

See also: touchscreen gesture, swipe card, gesture-based control.