mulighed

Mulighed is a Danish noun meaning possibility or opportunity. It denotes both the potential for something to happen and the chance to act or benefit from a situation. In everyday language, the term is used to discuss alternatives, plans, and potential outcomes. The plural form is muligheder, as in "Der er flere muligheder for at løse problemet."

Common expressions include "en mulighed" (one option or possibility), "mulighederne" (the options), "udnytte en mulighed" (to seize an opportunity), and "gå glip af en mulighed" (to miss an opportunity). The word is often contrasted with "sandsynlighed" (probability): mulighed emphasizes option and potential, while sandsynlighed concerns likelihood.

Etymology and cognates: Mulighed is formed from the adjective mulig (possible) with the suffix -hed, which turns adjectives into abstract nouns. The term is cognate with Swedish möjlighet and Norwegian mulighet, reflecting common Nordic linguistic roots.

Usage notes: In legal, political, or business contexts, mulighed can imply feasible courses of action and strategic choices, not merely abstract possibility. In philosophy or modal logic, it may be used to translate the English "possibility" in discussions of necessity and contingency. Overall, mulighed frames potentiality as an encounter with alternatives that can be explored or realized.