døgn

Døgn is a unit of time used in Norwegian (and Danish) to denote a full 24-hour period. It refers to a continuous stretch of 24 hours and is often used in contexts such as work shifts, medical observation, or deadlines. Unlike a calendar day, a døgn can begin at any chosen time, depending on practical needs. For example, one might describe a 24-hour observation window as “ett døgn fra kl. 10 i dag til kl. 10 i morgen.”

Etymology and cognates: døgn is a North Germanic term, with cognates in Swedish (dygn) and Danish (døgn). The word has long been used in Scandinavian languages to express the idea of a complete 24-hour cycle, distinct from, but related to, the calendar day (dag).

Usage and contexts: In everyday speech, døgn is common when precise time spans are important. It is frequently found in professional contexts, such as medicine (observing a patient for a full døgn), labor and on-call arrangements (døgnvakt, 24-hour duty), and logistics or deadlines (a døgnfrist). The term also appears in phrases describing rhythms, such as døgnrytme, referring to the circadian or 24-hour cycle of wakefulness and sleep.

Summary: Døgn specifies a 24-hour interval used to measure, schedule, or describe activities and periods that require attention to a full day-and-night cycle. It remains a standard, neutral term across Norwegian and Danish, with clear parallels in Swedish.