Udstrakt

Udstrakt is a Danish adjective meaning stretched out, extended, or expansive. It describes something that is physically extended or spread over a distance, as well as more figurative breadth or reach. The word is built from the prefix ud- meaning outward and strakt, the past participle of strække (to stretch). The sense is analogous to English “outstretched” or “extensive.”

Usage and examples

Udstrakt can describe tangible forms, such as an arm held out or a landscape that covers a large area. Common collocations include udstrakt arm or udstrakt land, indicating both literal extension and a wide, open appearance. It also appears in figurative expressions to denote breadth or range, for example udstrakte muligheder or et udstrakt netværk, referring to a broad spectrum of possibilities or a wide-reaching network.

Grammatical notes

In everyday Danish, udstrakt appears in its base form before a singular common gender noun (e.g., en udstrakt skildring). In plural or before certain nouns, the form shifts to udstrakte (e.g., udstrakte arme). Like many Danish adjectives, it agrees with the noun in number and definiteness.

Related terms

The word is closely related to the noun form of strakt, and to the verb strække. It shares cognates with other Scandinavian languages, such as Swedish utsträckt and Norwegian utstrakt, which carry similar meanings.

See also

Geographic expanses, physical description terminology, and phrases related to breadth or reach in Danish descriptive language.