hoveder

Hoveder is the Danish plural noun for the word hoved, meaning heads. It refers to the anatomical heads of humans or animals and can be used in both literal contexts, describing multiple heads, and in figurative senses where a group or organization is spoken of as having “heads” or leaders.

Etymology and cognates: The Danish word hoved stems from Old Danish and Old Norse hǫfuð, a common Germanic root for head. It is cognate with related terms in other Germanic languages and with the English word “head.” Hoveder is the standard plural form in Danish; the singular is hoved.

Usage: Hoveder appears in everyday Danish when counting or discussing more than one head. Outside strict anatomical use, speakers may encounter related forms in compound nouns and adjectives that use the root hoved- to signify importance or leadership, such as hovedstad (capital city), hovedperson (main character), or hovedbygning (main building). In such compounds, hoved functions as a prefix meaning “main” or “chief,” while hoveder remains the plural noun for the heads themselves.

See also: Hoved, the singular form; the prefix hoved- used in Danish to indicate primary status in numerous compound terms. Related Germanic cognates share the same basic concept of a head as a body part and as a figurative term for leadership or priority.