margfaldaðist

Margfaldaðist is an Icelandic verb meaning to become multiplied or to increase manyfold. It describes a change in which a quantity grows to many times its previous amount. The form is the past tense of margfalda, and is used when the subject undergoes multiplication or a substantial increase. In Icelandic, this voice emphasizes that the subject experiences the change rather than actively causing it.

Etymology and form: Margfaldaðist comes from margfalda, meaning to multiply or become manifold, with the suffix -ðist marking a past passive/middle form. The basic idea is that something has expanded in number, size, or extent by multiple times.

Usage: The word is typical in formal or written Icelandic, especially in statistics, economics, demography, history, and scientific writing. It is appropriate for describing phenomena such as populations, revenues, costs, or measurements that have risen several times over a period.

Examples:

- Íbúafjöldi landsins margfaldaðist á nokkrum áratugum. (The country’s population increased severalfold over several decades.)

- Hagnaður fyrirtækisins margfaldaðist eftir endurskipulagningu. (The company’s profit multiplied after the restructuring.)

Related terms include margfalda (to multiply), margfalt (manifold, manyfold), and margfaldaður/margfaldað (multiplied, manifold). Margfaldaðist is used when the subject itself experiences the multiplicative change, rather than causing it directly.