Viðkvæm

Viðkvæm is an Icelandic adjective meaning sensitive, delicate, fragile, or vulnerable. It is used to describe people, objects, or situations that require care, empathy, or cautious handling. The term also appears in specialized contexts, such as in the phrase viðkvæm gögn, which refers to sensitive data that must be protected.

In everyday usage, viðkvæm can describe emotional or psychological sensitivity, physical delicacy, or vulnerability. For example, Hún er mjög viðkvæm can refer to a person who is easily affected by emotions or criticism. In a physical sense, Hann er viðkvæmur fyrir kulda describes someone who is sensitive to cold. The word is also common in discussions of policy or information security: Viðkvæm gögn þurfa varúð og örugga meðferð, meaning sensitive data requires careful and secure handling. In discussions of public affairs, viðkvæm mál may be used to refer to issues that demand tact or discretion.

Grammar and usage notes: viðkvæm is an adjective that agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case, as with other Icelandic adjectives. It can take different inflected forms depending on the noun, for example masculine versus feminine or singular versus plural, while maintaining the core sense of sensitivity or delicacy. Speakers use the term across everyday speech and formal writing to express notions of care, vulnerability, or importance, from personal traits to data protection and fragile physical conditions.