gyldig

Gyldig is an adjective used in Danish and Norwegian to describe something that is valid, legitimate, or legally recognized. It denotes that something meets defined conditions and can be accepted, enforced, or relied upon.

In practical use, gyldig describes documents, credentials, tickets, and agreements. Examples include gyldigt pas or gyldig kørekort for a valid passport or driver's license, and gyldig kontrakt or gyldig avtale for a valid contract. It is also used with time expressions to mark validity periods, such as gyldig fra and gyldig til, indicating when something becomes valid and when it expires. In digital and formal contexts, gyldig can modify certificates or authorizations to indicate they are currently acceptable.

If something is no longer valid, it is typically described as udløbet or ugyldig. The term hence plays a central role in administrative, legal, and everyday transactions where acceptance depends on meeting predefined criteria.

Etymology and related forms: gyldig stems from Old Norse and Proto-Germanic roots connected with value, worth, or standing. The word is historically linked to concepts of value and authority, which underpins its current sense of validity or legitimacy. Cognates exist in other Scandinavian languages; for example Swedish uses giltig, a closely related term with the same core meaning in its respective spelling.

Summary: gyldig denotes validity and enforceability in Danish and Norwegian contexts, applied to documents, agreements, and time-bound statuses, and contrasts with forms indicating invalidity or expiry.