suður

Suður is the Icelandic word for the cardinal direction south. It is used as a noun to designate the southern direction and commonly appears in geographic names and road designations. In everyday speech, one might say fara suður, meaning to go south. In toponyms it is common in compounds such as Suðurland (South Iceland) and Suðurnes (the Southern Peninsula region).

Etymology and cognates: Suður derives from Old Norse suður and is cognate with other North Germanic words for south, such as Danish syd, Norwegian sør, and Swedish söder, as well as the English word south. The term reflects a shared Germanic root for the southern direction found across Northern European languages.

Geographic and linguistic usage: The word is widely used in Icelandic place names, geography, and cartography. It also appears in mixed-language contexts as a clear indicator of southern orientation in maps, routes, and regional labels. The consistent use of suður alongside norður (north) and other directional terms helps standardize navigation and regional identification in Icelandic.