omkomme

Omkomme is a Norwegian verb meaning to die, typically as a result of an accident, disaster, or other external cause. It is used in formal and written Norwegian to describe fatalities, especially in news reporting, official statements, and obituaries, where the death is not due to natural causes.

The verb has the present tense omkommer and the past tense omkom. The past participle is omkommen, which is used as an adjective or in phrases like den omkomne (the deceased) and de omkomne (the deceased, plural). This form is common in news reports and formal writing when referring to individuals who died in incidents.

Nuances and usage: omkomme conveys that death occurred due to external circumstances rather than natural causes such as illness or old age. It is primarily used about people and is common in contexts like accidents, catastrophes, and conflicts. It is not typically used for innocent, everyday death, and its use signals a fatal outcome tied to a specific event or external force.

Etymology and related terms: The word has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Swedish and Danish, and is related to the English verb perish or die in the sense of dying in hazardous circumstances. In Norwegian, å omkomme contrasts with å dø in that it emphasizes fatality resulting from an external event, while omkomkende or omkomne provides a neutral, fact-focused way to refer to those who have died.