allvitende

Allvitende is a Norwegian adjective meaning all-knowing or possessing complete and universal knowledge. It is used to describe a being or agent with exhaustive knowledge of all true propositions and of all events across time. The English equivalent is omniscient.

Etymology: The term is built from all- meaning completely and vitende, the present participle of vite, “to know.” Related forms appear in Danish and Swedish (allvetande). In Norwegian, allvitende is a fixed compound used attributively or predicatively.

Usage in theology and philosophy: In religious and philosophical contexts, allvitende is often applied to God or a deity in classical theism, which holds that the divine being knows everything—past, present, and future. Debates concern the exact scope of omniscience, its relation to free will, foreknowledge, and the status of future contingents. Some accounts distinguish timeless versus temporal omniscience; others separate perfect knowledge from exhaustive knowledge, depending on the model.

Secular and cultural usage: Outside theology, the term can be used metaphorically to describe a person who seems to know everything, a know-it-all. It can appear in literature, criticism, or rhetoric to emphasize perceived overreach or to critique claims of universal knowledge.

See also: Omniscience; Epistemology; Knowledge.