Utelukket

Utelukket is a Norwegian term that denotes something that has been excluded from consideration, inclusion, or a set. It is the past participle and an adjective formed from the verb utelukke, which means to exclude, rule out, or leave out. The prefix ut- conveys “out,” combined with lukke (to close), giving the sense of closing off an option or possibility.

Etymology and form: Utelukke is the standard Norwegian verb for exclusion. Its past participle is utelukket, and it can function as an adjective (det utelukkede alternativet) or as part of a compound with auxiliary verbs, such as har utelukket or er utelukket. The spelling uses double k in lukke, yielding utelukket.

Usage: The term is common in everyday language, research, and professional contexts. Examples include: “Vi har utelukket to forklaringsmuligheter” (We have ruled out two explanations), “_de denne muligheten er utelukket_” (this possibility is ruled out), and “respondenter som var utelukket fra utvalget” (respondents excluded from the sample). In statistics, medicine, and social sciences, utelukking describes data, participants, or hypotheses that are excluded from analysis or interpretation. In Norwegian, ekskludere is also used, especially in more technical or formal texts, often influenced by English usage.

See also: Exclusion, exclusion criteria, utvalgsmetoder.

Notes: The term is broadly understood in Norwegian and can be used across contexts ranging from everyday speech to formal research reporting. When precision is needed, utelukke and utelukket are preferred, while ekskludere is common in technical or international language use.