neyð

Neyð is an Icelandic noun meaning a state of danger or urgent need for help. It covers personal peril, natural disasters, and other emergencies that require prompt assistance. The term is used in both everyday language and official contexts such as public safety, disaster response, and planning.

Etymology: Neyð comes from Old Norse neyð, with cognates in Danish nød, Norwegian nød, and Swedish nöd, all sharing the core sense of need, danger, or hardship.

Usage: In everyday language one can say í neyð (in distress) or be in neyð. A common formal compound is neyðarástand, meaning a state of emergency. The concept also appears in public warnings and official communications related to risk and response.

In public life and emergency planning, neyð informs messaging, procedures, and legal frameworks. In Iceland, emergency services operate in conjunction with the national emergency number 112, which people can call for urgent help in dangerous situations.

Distress signals: Internationally, the standard distress call is mayday; in Icelandic contexts this term is recognized as the conventional emergency signal in relevant communications.

See also: State of emergency; Emergency services; Mayday.