Veiktur

Veiktur is an Icelandic adjective used to describe someone or something that has been weakened or become ill. It functions as a past participle form related to the base adjective veik- meaning weak or ill. In use, veiktur conveys a state that has resulted from an illness, exertion, or other degrading condition, rather than a permanent trait.

In everyday language, veiktur appears in medical and reporting contexts as a way to describe a person’s current condition. It can pair with a form of the verb to be to express a present state, for example: Hann er veiktur (He is sick/weakened). The term can also appear in descriptive phrases such as veiktur einstaklingur (a weakened individual) or veiktur stöðublað in a more technical setting, though more common Icelandic terms may be used in casual speech.

Etymologically, veiktur derives from the root veik- meaning weak or ill, with the participial suffix -tur forming an adjective that indicates a resultant condition. This contrasts with veikur, the more general adjective meaning sick or weak, which is not necessarily tied to a recent change of state.

Nuances and usage considerations: veiktur emphasizes a state that has recently developed or persisted due to illness or fatigue. It is distinct from elba or örlyndi, which refer to broader conditions or dispositions. In standard prose, veiktur is a recognized descriptor for medical or formal descriptions, while in colloquial Icelandic speakers may opt for more common terms such as veikur or eru veiktur to convey the same idea.

See also: Icelandic language, sickness and health terminology, past participles.