leyttur

Leyttur is a linguistic term found in Icelandic texts as an archaic or dialectal variant of the adjective léttur, which means light, easy, or nimble. In contemporary standard Icelandic, the form léttur is the normal spelling and employs the same semantic range. Leyttur thus appears primarily in historical writing, poetry, or regional speech where older or nonstandard forms survive.

The root of both forms is the same semantic core meaning light or not heavy. The difference lies in spelling and pronunciation that reflect older orthography or dialectal variation. As a masculine nominative singular adjective, leyttur would grammatically modify a masculine noun, with standard Icelandic grammar requiring agreement in gender, number, and definiteness. Today, however, leyttur is rarely used outside quotations, glosses, or linguistic discussions.

In practice, leyttur is encountered mainly in discussions of Icelandic philology, in edition notes for early texts, or in dialect studies. It is not treated as a separate modern semantic category from léttur, beyond representing an older or regional form of the same meaning.

For further context, see léttur, Old Norse language as the historical lineage of the term, and Icelandic grammar for adjective agreement. Leyttur thus functions as a historical variant rather than a distinct contemporary term.