fötum

Fótum is the dative plural form of the Icelandic noun fótur, which means “foot.” In standard Icelandic usage, fótur denotes a single foot, while fótum denotes multiple feet when the noun is inflected for the dative case. It is used in phrases that require the dative, such as með fótum (“with the feet”) or fótum sínum (“his own feet”).

The word fótur belongs to the native Icelandic lexicon and is related to other Germanic terms for “foot,” including Old Norse fótr, Old English fot, and German Fuß. The inflection to fótum illustrates Icelandic case and number marking on masculine nouns, where the dative plural suffix is used to indicate both plurality and case.

In linguistic descriptions and educational contexts, fótum is often cited as an example of Icelandic noun inflection and agreement within noun phrases. In contemporary usage, the form remains common in everyday speech and writing when referring to multiple feet in a context that requires the dative case, such as describing placement, movement, or anatomy.

See also: fótur; Icelandic language; Germanic languages.