nýttur

Nýttur is an Icelandic adjective meaning "new" or "recent." It is used to describe nouns and must agree with the noun in gender, number, and definiteness. In ordinary use, nýttur is the masculine singular form; the neuter singular form is typically nýtt, as in nýtt hús, a new house. The word also participates in the standard Icelandic pattern of inflection for adjectives, so feminine and plural forms appear in contexts with corresponding nouns.

Etymology and scope: Nýttur derives from Old Norse and is cognate with related forms in other North Germanic languages. In modern Icelandic, it covers a range of novelty, from brand-new physical objects to recently produced or introduced concepts, as well as time periods described as new or upcoming.

Usage: Nýttur is commonly used before nouns to denote freshness or recent origin. It can describe tangible items, such as the phrase nýtt hús, as well as more abstract notions, like a newly introduced idea or a new year, as in gleðilegt nýtt ár (Happy New Year). The term is versatile and appears in everyday speech, media, and literature, balancing precision and natural tone.

Notes: Like other Icelandic adjectives, nýttur must conform to the noun's gender and number, and it can appear in definite forms when the noun is definite. Its meaning remains focused on novelty, freshness, or recency, rather than age or duration alone.