Tørste

Tørste is a Norwegian term that refers to the sensation of needing or wanting to drink. In standard Norwegian, the common noun for this state is tørst, while tørste appears mainly as a dialectal or historical form and is rarely used in contemporary formal writing. The word is most often encountered in regional speech or in older texts.

Etymology and related forms: tørste derives from the Old Norse word þorsti, meaning thirst. It has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Danish tørst and Swedish törst. The variant tørste reflects historical or regional spelling patterns but is not the norm in modern Bokmål or Nynorsk.

Usage and meaning: thirst arises from a need to replenish bodily fluids and can be triggered by dehydration, heat, or elevated blood glucose. In medical discussions, thirst is described as a subjective sensation that helps regulate fluid balance, guided by mechanisms in the hypothalamus and hormones such as antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Common everyday usage includes phrases like stille tørsten, meaning to quench or relieve one’s thirst.

Clinical aspects: persistent or excessive thirst can be a symptom warranting medical evaluation, as it may indicate conditions such as diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus, electrolyte imbalances, or certain medications. Appropriate management typically involves increasing fluid intake and addressing the underlying cause, under professional guidance if needed.

See also: thirst, dehydration, diabetes, fluid balance.