fæddur

Fæddur is an Icelandic adjective and past participle meaning “born,” derived from the verb fæðast (to be born). It is used to describe a person or animal that has been born and to indicate place or context of birth in biographical or genealogical writing. In everyday usage, fæddur can appear in predicative constructions such as Hann er fæddur í Reykjavík (He was born in Reykjavík), where it agrees with the subject in number and gender according to standard Icelandic grammar. When used attributively, it inflects like other adjectives to match the noun it describes.

Etymology and related forms: fæddur comes from fæðast and shares its meaning with cognate forms in other North Germanic languages, such as Danish født, Norwegian født, and Swedish född, all descended from a common Proto-Nordic root for birth. The word’s core sense remains stable across these languages, reflecting the shared linguistic heritage of the Nordic region.

Usage and context: In addition to personal birthplaces, fæddur is commonly found in biographical notes, historical records, genealogies, and formal introductions. It is most often encountered in its masculine singular form; other gender and number inflections are used in full agreement with the noun it modifies, following Icelandic adjective and participle inflection rules.

See also: fæðing, fæðingarsaga, fæðingartími, Icelandic grammar on participles and adjectives.