minnkaður

Minnkaður is an Icelandic past participle and adjective derived from the verb minnka, meaning to diminish or reduce. It is used to describe something that has been reduced in amount, size, strength, or intensity. Common collocations include minnkaður fjöldi (reduced number), minnkað magn (reduced quantity), and minnkað umfang (reduced scope). In Icelandic grammar, past participles can function as adjectives and agree with the noun they modify in gender, number, and definiteness.

Etymology and forms: The word comes from minnka, which originates in Old Norse and has cognates in related Germanic languages. The participle appears as minnkaður in masculine singular, with corresponding forms for other genders and numbers, reflecting Icelandic agreement patterns.

Usage notes: Minnkaður is typically found in formal, technical, or statistical writing, as well as regulatory texts, where it describes reductions resulting from policy, conditions, or measurements. When modifying neuter nouns, the form minnkað is used, and for feminine nouns, a form like minnkuð is common, depending on grammatical context.

Examples:

- Fjöldinn var minnkaður um 20%. (The number was reduced by 20%.)

- Minnkað magn af hráefni var notað. (A reduced amount of raw material was used.)

See also: minnkun (reduction), minnka (to diminish).