Vísindamanna

Vísindamanna is the genitive plural form of vísindamaður, the Icelandic word for scientist. It is used to indicate possession or association with scientists, as in verkefni vísindamanna (the scientists’ projects) or niðurstöður vísindamanna (scientists’ findings). The nominative plural is vísindamenn.

Origin and formation: The term is a straightforward Icelandic compound formed from vísindi (science) and maður (man), following a common pattern for professions and roles. In Icelandic, the genitive plural ending -anna marks possession for masculine nouns in plural, yielding vísindamanna.

Usage: Vísindamanna appears primarily in formal or academic Icelandic texts, journalism, and policy discussions when referring to a group of scientists or to their work. It is not a separate profession; rather it denotes the people who practice science. In English translations, it is typically rendered as “scientists” or, when used possessively, “the scientists’ …” through the surrounding noun phrase (for example, verkefni vísindamanna).

Related terms: The base singular is vísindamaður; the nominative plural for the group is vísindamenn. The word reflects Icelandic’s tendency to form precise occupational terms by combining core nouns with man/woman suffixes, producing clear distinctions between individuals (vísindamaður) and the group (vísindamenn, vísindamanna in possessive contexts).

See also: vísindamaður, science in Iceland, Icelandic language and morphology.