stykke

Stykke is a noun in Danish and Norwegian that means a piece, portion, or section. It can refer to a physical fragment, a length of time, or a unit within a larger work. Examples include et stykke brød (a piece of bread), et stykke kage (a piece of cake), et stykke papir (a piece of paper), and et stykke tid (a while).

In the arts, stykke is used to describe a work or creation, most notably in teaterstykke, which means a theatre play. The term also appears in everyday phrases such as et stykke tid to express a period of time, and in phrases like et stykke af kagen to indicate a portion of the cake.

Grammar and form: stykke is a neuter noun. Indefinite singular is et stykke; plural is stykker. The word has cognates in other Germanic languages, including German Stück and Swedish stycke, all tracing back to a common Proto-Germanic root meaning a piece or portion.

Usage notes: While closely related to the English word piece, stykke covers a wider range of meanings—from a literal fragment to a portion of time or a complete artistic work. In compounds, it frequently combines with other words to form common terms in Danish and Norwegian, especially in cultural contexts such as teaterstykke for a theater piece.