tyven

Tyven is a noun used in Danish and Norwegian Bokmål to mean "the thief." It is the definite form of tyv (thief), following the common pattern in these languages where masculine nouns form the definite singular with an appended suffix. Thus tyven translates to "the thief" rather than simply "thief." The term is widely used in everyday language, news reporting, and literature to refer to a thief in general or to a specific thief when the definite article is implied.

Etymology: The form is descended from Old Norse þjófr and shares cognates across the Germanic languages. In Danish and Norwegian, tyv and its definite form tyven have been in use since the Middle Ages and remain productive in modern speech.

Cross-language note: Swedish uses tjuv as the generic thief, with tjuven as the definite form, not tyven. Other Scandinavian languages have similar patterns for definite nouns, but tyven is characteristic of Danish and Norwegian.

Usage and nuance: In everyday prose, headlines, and popular culture, tyven functions as a straightforward label for a thief; it can denote a fictional character or a real person, depending on context.