sandsynlige

Sandsynlige is a Danish adjective meaning likely or probable. It is used to describe things that are considered to have a high degree of probability. The form is the plural inflection of the base adjective sandsynlig, and it commonly appears before plural nouns, as in phrases like sandsynlige konsekvenser or sandsynlige resultater.

Etymology and cognates: The word derives from the Danish stem sandsyn-, which denotes probability, combined with the suffix -lig, forming a meaning akin to “likely.” The term has cognates in other Scandinavian languages, notably Norwegian bokmål sannsynlige and Swedish sannolika, though spelling and usage vary by language.

Usage and grammar: Sandsynlige is used in contexts where probability is discussed or assessed, including journalism, science, and everyday language. It tends to precede plural nouns to indicate that those nouns refer to outcomes, possibilities, or events that are not certain but reasonably expected. In Danish, adjectives agree with the noun in number, so sandsynlige appears before plural nouns and takes other inflections appropriate to definiteness and gender for different constructions.

Related terms: Related Danish forms include sandsynlig for the singular form, and sandsynlighed for probability or likelihood. In broader discussion of probability, terms such as sandsynlighedsteori (probability theory) may be used.

See also: Probability, Linguistic inflection in Danish, Scandinavian cognates.