rumslig

Rumslig is an adjective used in some Scandinavian languages to denote relating to space or spatial properties. In Swedish and Norwegian contexts it appears primarily in technical or academic discourse to describe how space is organized, perceived, or used. The word is formed from the noun rum meaning space or room, combined with the suffix -lig, which yields a meaning of “having the quality of” or “pertaining to.” In English, rumslig is typically translated as spatial or space-related.

Common uses include phrases such as rumslig planering (spatial planning), rumslig design (space-oriented design), and rumslig förståelse (spatial understanding) or rumslige relationer (spatial relationships). The term is used in fields such as geometry, urban planning, architecture, and cognitive science to discuss how space is structured and experienced. It can also appear in discussions of data visualization or geographic information systems when addressing the spatial dimension.

Dialect and cognates: cognate forms exist across the Nordic languages, with Danish and Norwegian variants conveying similar meanings. The term tends to be more common in formal or technical writing, and may be less frequent in everyday speech where other terms for space or spaciousness—such as rymlig in Swedish (meaning spacious)—are preferred.