gátt

Gátt is an Icelandic noun that denotes an opening that allows passage from one space to another. The primary sense is a doorway or gate, but it can also refer more generally to any opening or passage in a barrier, such as a hatch, vent, cave mouth, or other aperture.

In architectural and structural contexts, gátis used to describe physical entryways in buildings, walls, fortifications, ships, or machinery where a opening must be passed through or accessed. The term can also appear in descriptions of natural openings, such as a crevice or cave entrance, depending on the context.

Beyond its literal meaning, gátt is used metaphorically to indicate an opportunity or point of access—a gateway to something, a path that leads to another place, level, or stage. This figurative use is common in everyday Icelandic as well as in literature and discourse.

Etymology traces gátt to Old Norse and related Germanic roots, where the sense of an opening or gate was central. In modern Icelandic, the word retains its core meaning while extending to metaphorical uses, often in combination with other words to form compound expressions describing various kinds of openings or opportunities.

See also: door, gate, opening.