fjölbreyttir

Fjölbreyttir is the masculine plural nominative form of the Icelandic adjective fjölbreyttur, meaning diverse or varied. It is used to describe nouns that have a wide range of kinds, forms, or qualities, such as landscapes, cultures, opinions, or works of art. In Icelandic, adjectives decline by gender and number, so fjölbreyttir changes to fjölbreyttir in the masculine plural form when describing plural masculine nouns.

Etymology and forms: The adjective is formed from the prefix fjöl- meaning many and a stem related to breyta, meaning to change or to be changed, giving a sense of many-formed or varied. The form fjölbreyttir is specifically the masculine plural nominative (and accusative) form. Feminine and neuter and other cases have different endings, for example fjölbreyttar (feminine plural) and fjölbreytt (neuter plural), and the definite forms differ as well.

Usage examples: Fjölbreyttir möguleikar eru í boði í nýrri menntastefnu. This indicates a range of possibilities. Hópurinn samanstendur af fjölbreyttum einstaklingum, sem gefa fjölbreytt sjónarmið. In ecological or cultural contexts, the adjective expresses biodiversity or cultural plurality, underscoring the presence of multiple kinds or forms within a group or system.

Translations and related terms: In English, fjölbreyttur is commonly rendered as diverse, varied, or multifaceted; fjölbreyttir corresponds to diverse (plural masculine). See also: fjölbreytni, fjölbreyttur.