eðlileg

eðlileg is an Icelandic adjective meaning natural, normal, or reasonable. It describes something that is in accordance with nature, typical, or not artificial. The form shown here is the feminine singular; the masculine singular is eðlilegur and the neuter singular is eðlilegt. Like other Icelandic adjectives, eðlileg inflects for gender and number to agree with the noun it modifies.

Etymology: The word derives from eðli, meaning nature or essence, combined with the suffix -legur, which marks adjectives meaning “pertaining to” or “characteristic of.” The overall sense is “pertaining to nature” or “natural.”

Usage: eðlileg is common in both everyday speech and written Icelandic. It can indicate that something is natural or reasonable, or that it conforms to what is typical. Examples include: eðlileg spurning (a natural/typical question); það er eðlilegt að hafa áhyggjur (it is natural/reasonable to have worries); eðlileg forsendur (reasonable grounds). In predicative use, neuter form eðlilegt is used with verbs such as vera to say that something is natural or appropriate.

See also: eðli, eðlilegur, eðlilegt. These related forms connect to the broader concept of nature and normalcy in Icelandic, and they appear across a range of contexts from grammar to everyday expression.