sprede

Sprede is a verb used in Danish and Norwegian meaning to cause something to become spread or dispersed, or to disseminate and propagate. It covers both concrete and abstract cases, such as spreading seeds or pollen, spreading light, and spreading information, rumors, or ideas. The verb can be transitive (sprede something) or used with reflexive constructions (sprede seg) to indicate that something spreads by itself or among people.

In usage, sprede appears across a wide range of contexts—from agriculture and science to media and communication. It is a core verb in everyday speech and appears in both formal and informal registers. Common sense uses include spreading seeds in a field, spreading information to a group, or spreading a rumor. The meaning can extend to figurative spreading, such as increasing the reach of an opinion or a phenomenon.

Etymology and related forms: Sprede is a North Germanic verb with cognates in other Scandinavian languages, reflecting a common linguistic heritage. It is closely related to Swedish sprida. In Danish and Norwegian dictionaries you will find the infinitive forms sprede (and dialectal or modern Norwegian variants), with language-specific rules governing its exact conjugation and tense forms.

See also: sprida (Swedish)