stuttur

Stuttur is an Icelandic adjective meaning short in length, duration, or extent. It describes objects, intervals of time, or abstractions that are compact or brief. In everyday use, it appears in phrases such as stuttur dagur (“a short day”) or stuttur tími (“a short period”).

Etymology and cognates: The word originates from Proto-Nordic roots related to the general Germanic term for “short.” It has cognates in other North Germanic languages, though the exact forms differ by language. In Icelandic, stuttur is inflected for gender, number, and case, with forms including stuttur (masculine singular nominative) and stutt (neuter).

Grammar and usage: Stuttur is typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb. It functions like a standard descriptive adjective in modern Icelandic, appearing in contexts ranging from everyday speech to literature. It can modify physical dimensions, temporal spans, or figurative lengths, and it often conveys a sense of brevity or conciseness in description.

Cultural and lexical context: Stuttur is a common term in contemporary Icelandic and appears in dictionaries and language guides as the standard word for “short.” In historical texts and poetry, it may contribute to brisk or economical phrasing. The adjective also participates in everyday idioms and compound expressions related to time, distance, or quantity.