datter

Datter is the common word for daughter in Danish and Norwegian Bokmål. It is used in everyday speech to refer to a female child in relation to a parent or family. In Swedish, the corresponding term is dotter, not datter, while Icelandic uses dóttir.

Etymology and related forms: The word derives from Old Norse dóttir, meaning daughter. It is closely related to the Danish word datter and the Norwegian form datter, and to the Swedish dotter. These Scandinavian forms descend from the same ancient root, with cognates found in other North Germanic languages.

Usage and context: In modern Danish and Norwegian, datter is the standard term for daughter in ordinary conversation, writing, and formal language. It appears in genealogical records, literature, and media, as well as in everyday family references. The pronunciation and spelling align with each language’s orthographic conventions, and dialectal variations may affect pronunciation more than the written form.

See also: Dotter, the Swedish cognate, and dóttir, the Icelandic form. The concept is a basic kinship term across the North Germanic languages, reflecting common linguistic heritage within the region.