trett

Trett is a Norwegian adjective meaning tired or fatigued, used to describe a state of weariness resulting from physical effort, mental strain, or lack of sleep. The term appears in various dialects and older or more formal registers, but in everyday Bokmål the more common ordinary form is trøtt. The related noun tretthet denotes fatigue or tiredness. In combination with other words, trett appears in phrases such as trett og sliten (tired and worn out) or trett etter en lang dag (tired after a long day).

Etymology and cognates indicate that trett shares a common Germanic ancestry with other Scandinavian words for tiredness. It is related to Swedish trött and Danish træt, reflecting a broad Proto-Germanic root for tiredness. The Norwegian forms have evolved with regional pronunciation and spelling conventions, and trett remains more characteristic of certain dialects and historical texts than of contemporary Bokmål speech.

Usage notes: Trett can emphasize a state of fatigue from exertion, while trøtt is often used for general tiredness or drowsiness. The noun tretthet is used to denote fatigue as a measurable or describable condition. In modern Norwegian, writers and speakers may choose trett for a slightly formal or literary tone, whereas trøtt is the everyday option.

See also fatigue, exhaustion, tretthet.