bærer

Bærer is a Norwegian word with two primary meanings. As a verb, it is the present tense form of å bære, meaning to carry, bear, or support something. As a noun, bærer denotes a bearer or carrier—the person or thing that carries or holds something.

As a verb, bærer is used both literally and metaphorically. Examples include "han bærer en koffert" (he carries a suitcase), "å bære vekten" (to bear the weight), "å bære ansvaret" (to bear the responsibility), and "å bære frukt" (to bear fruit). The simple past tense is "bar," and the perfect tense is formed with har, as in "har båret."

As a noun, bærer refers to a bearer or carrier. It can describe a person, such as "en bærer av en belastning" (a carrier of a burden) or a genetic context like "genbærer" (gen carrier). The plural is "bærere," and the definite singular is "bæreren." In compound nouns, bærer appears in terms such as postbærer (mail carrier). In genetics, "bærer" is widely used to designate someone who carries a recessive allele without necessarily expressing the trait.

Etymology and related forms: bærer originates from Old Norse bera meaning to carry. Related forms exist in other Scandinavian languages (Danish bærer, Swedish bärare), reflecting common Germanic roots.

Usage note: In everyday Norwegian, bære as a verb is highly productive and appears in many idiomatic phrases. As a noun, its meaning is context-dependent, typically signifying a person or object that bears or carries something, including the biological sense of carrying a gene.