heimsins

Heimsins is an Icelandic term that denotes possession or association with the world and functions as the genitive singular form of the definite noun heimurinn, meaning “the world” or “the universe.” In English, it is typically translated as “of the world” or “the world’s.” The form is used in a variety of contexts to refer to the world as a whole or to something tied to the world.

Usage in Icelandic spans everyday speech, literature, theology, and philosophy. It often appears in phrases that present the world in a broad, collective sense, sometimes in contrast to other domains such as the divine, the cosmos, or human affairs. In translation, the exact nuance depends on context, since the genitive form communicates possession, association, or attribution.

Etymology traces heimsins to the root for “world” in Icelandic, with the definite article and case markings that yield the genitive singular of the definite noun heimurinn. This mirrors historical forms in Old Norse, where related terms evolved into the modern Icelandic system of nouns and cases.

Related terms in Icelandic include heimur (world) and heimurinn (the world). The broader concept appears across linguistic, literary, and religious texts, reflecting the common need to denote the world as a domain of significance, values, and inquiry.