námsmanna

Námsmanna is the genitive plural form of the Icelandic noun námsmaður, which literally denotes a person associated with learning. The word is a compound of nám, learning or study, and maður, man. In historical Icelandic usage, the term referred broadly to a learned person, including teachers, clerics and scholars.

Historically, námsmenn formed an educated class within medieval and early modern Icelandic society. They operated in church schools, monasteries, and local educational networks, and included parish priests with scholarly training, schoolmasters, tutors, and other individuals who pursued or practiced learning. The term appears in sagas, annals and religious writings as a designation for people who possessed literacy and scholarly training. Some Námsmenn studied abroad or at continental European centers and contributed to Icelandic religious and intellectual life through their teaching and writings.

In modern Icelandic, the term is largely historical or literary, and is not commonly used to describe contemporary professionals. Contemporary equivalents for a learned person include terms such as lærdómsmaður or simply fróður (scholar, learned person). As a label, námsmanna is primarily encountered in historical, philological, or literary contexts.