rymd

Rymd is a Swedish noun meaning space, with senses that range from the three-dimensional expanse outside Earth’s atmosphere to the broader concept of space in mathematics, physics, or discourse. In daily language it is most often used for outer space, with the definite form rymden serving as "the space" as in "forskning om rymden" (space research) or "det finns mycket rymd där ute" (there is a lot of space out there). In science and education, rymd appears in compounds such as rymdfart (space travel), rymdteknik (space technology), rymdstation (space station), and rymdprogram (space program).

Etymology: The word is of Germanic origin and is related to concepts of space or room in Swedish and other Scandinavian languages. It is distinct from rum, the ordinary word for a room, though both terms reflect the broader idea of enclosing volume.

Usage and cultural context: Rymd is central to astronomy and astrophysics in Swedish-language literature, media, and education. It appears in news about space missions in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere, and in fiction and poetry as a symbol of exploration, the unknown, and the vast cosmos. In everyday language it also carries metaphorical weight, illustrating vastness, emptiness, or opportunities.

See also: Space terminology in Swedish; astronomy; space exploration.