mångsidig

Mångsidig is a Swedish adjective meaning versatile or multi-faceted. It describes something or someone that has many sides, functions, or areas of competence.

Etymology: The term is formed from mång- meaning many and sidig (having sides), with the adjectival suffix -ig. Together they convey the idea of “having many sides.” The construction is common in Swedish compound words.

Usage: The word is widely used for people with varied skills or experiences, as well as for objects, programs, or approaches with multiple functions. Examples include en mångsidig musiker (a versatile musician), en mångsidig utbildning (a broad, multi-disciplinary education), and ett mångsidigt företag (a multi-faceted company). In contrast to allsidig, mångsidig emphasizes breadth and variety across many areas, while allsidig more often signals broad capability across a field.

Forms and related terms: The noun form mångsidighet denotes the quality of being versatile, and the adverb mångsidigt can be used to describe actions carried out in a versatile manner. The term is documented in Swedish dictionaries such as SAOL and appears frequently in media, education, and business discourse.

See also: Versatility, allsidig, multifaceted, multi-functional.