breiðst

Breiðst is a term that appears in Icelandic grammar as a present passive form of the verb breiða, meaning to spread or widen. In standard usage, the present passive is written breiðist, as in the sentence “Ský breiðist út” (the cloud spreads out). The form breiðst can be found in certain inflected contexts or in older texts, and may appear as a stem in derived forms or dialectal variants.

Etymology and form: The root breið- carries the sense of broad or wide, related to adjectives such as breiður (broad). The suffix -st is a passive ending used in forming certain verb conjugations. Together, the elements express a process of spreading or extending.

Usage: Breiðst describes processes that expand across space, time, or influence. It is commonly used in meteorology to describe weather systems spreading, in geography or geology to describe land or features extending, and in ecology or demography to describe population growth or range expansion. It can also be used metaphorically to discuss the spread of ideas, norms, or cultural influence.

Examples: Ský breiðist út. (The cloud spreads out.) Land breiðist út yfir svæðið. (The land spreads out over the area.)

See also: breiða, breiður, útbreiðsla, breiðist út.

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