jätt

Jätt is a Swedish noun meaning “giant.” In modern usage, en jätte refers to a giant or a very large person, and the plural jättar denotes giants in folklore, fairy tales, and popular culture. The term can also be used metaphorically to describe something unusually large or impressive.

Etymology and linguistic role: The word derives from Old Norse jǫtunn, meaning giant, and entered Swedish through historical language development to become both a noun (jätte) and a productive prefix in contemporary Swedish. The form jätt- is widely recognized in compound words and phrases.

Folklore and myth: In Norse and Scandinavian tradition, giants (jättar or jötunnar) are powerful beings often in opposition to the gods. They inhabit realms associated with wilderness and the elements and appear across myths, legends, and later fairy tales. In Swedish storytelling, jättar are commonly depicted as formidable, sometimes benevolent figures, and serve as a foil to heroic protagonists.

Modern usage: Beyond myth, the root jät is used as an intensifying prefix in colloquial Swedish to form adjectives and compounds that mean “extremely” or “very.” Examples include terms like jättestor (very large) or jättesugen (very eager). This usage reflects a semantic shift from a concrete creature to a linguistic amplifier.

See also: Jötunn; Norse mythology; Swedish linguistics; Giants in folklore.