leikir

Leikir is the Icelandic plural noun meaning "games" or "plays." It is the plural form of leikur, a general term for a game or a play. Leikir is used to refer to recreational activities that are played for entertainment or competition, including borðleikir (board games), tölvuleikir (video games), and other sports or pastimes that are engaged in as games. In everyday language, leikir denotes the category of games rather than a single game. The singular form is leikur.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from Old Norse leikr, related to leika "to play." In Modern Icelandic, the distinction between leikur (singular) and leikir (plural) mirrors the distinction between a single game and multiple games or the general concept of gaming. Leikir appears frequently in education, media, and everyday speech when discussing games as a collection or genre.

See also: leikur, tölvuleikir, borðleikir, leiktæki. Leikir is typically used when speaking of more than one game or of the activity of gaming in general.