andgerð

Andgerð is an Icelandic noun that denotes a person’s inherent constitution or makeup, particularly their physical and psychological disposition. It is commonly translated as constitution, temperament, or nature, and is used to describe the stable traits that shape a person.

Etymology traces andgerð to and- (spirit, breath) and -gerð (form, creation). The combination suggests the form or structure of the spirit, i.e., the fundamental make-up of a person rather than transient states.

In modern Icelandic, andgerð appears in medical, philosophical, and historical contexts to indicate a person’s general constitution, including baseline health, metabolic tendencies, and temperament. It can be used to distinguish innate traits from environmental influences, and may appear in discussions of biology and behavior as part of a person’s overall disposition.

Historically, the concept was tied to humoral theories and the idea that temperament reflects an underlying bodily balance. In older medical and philosophical literature, andgerð was often linked to classifications of temperament, such as distinct, enduring modes of being.

Today, andgerð is relatively formal or archaic in everyday speech. In contemporary usage, speakers more often employ terms like personality, temperament, or character. The word remains common in academic or clinical Icelandic and in discussions that address longstanding questions about the relationship between biology and behavior.