højt

Højt is a Danish word that can function as both an adverb and the neuter singular form of the adjective høj (high). As an adverb, højt means “to a high degree” or “loudly,” and it describes how an action is performed or how something is perceived. For example, Han taler højt means “He speaks loudly,” and på et højt niveau means “at a high level.” In these usages, højt modifies verbs or adjectives rather than a noun.

As an attributive adjective, højt appears before a neuter noun to denote height or elevation, and it agrees with the neuter form of the noun. Examples include et højt hus (a tall/high house) and et højt bjerg (a high mountain). In this role, højt is the inflected form of høj used with neuter nouns; other gender forms use different endings.

Etymology and cognates: højt is closely related to Norwegian høyt and Swedish högt, all descending from the same Germanic root as the English word high. The form reflects regular Scandinavian adjective inflection and the common tendency for height or elevation to be expressed in similar ways across these languages.

Usage notes: Danish distinguishes between the base adjective høj (high/tall) and the adverbial or neuter attributive form højt. The choice between usage as an adverb or as a neuter attributive adjective depends on sentence position and the noun involved.

See also: høj, højeste, højt niveau.