udkast

Udkast is a Danish term meaning a preliminary or draft version of a document, plan, or creative work. It denotes an early, unfinished form that is intended to be revised before a final version is produced. The word is used across professional and everyday contexts, spanning writing, legal drafting, design, and project planning.

Common uses include a rough manuscript or outline in writing and publishing, a proposed version in law, or a concept sketch in design and architecture. Phrases such as udkast til en roman (draft of a novel), udkast til en artikel (article draft), and udkast til lov (draft bill) illustrate its broad application. In editorial and project workflows, an udkast undergoes rounds of revision before the final version is approved.

In Norwegian Bokmål, the cognate term is utkast, with the same general meaning. Across Scandinavian languages, the concept shares a common sense of an initial, modifiable version that is prepared for feedback and refinement. Etymologically, ud- conveys outward or preliminary, while kast relates to casting or throwing, reflecting the notion of something cast out for review. Variants in spelling exist between Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, but the underlying idea remains the same: a temporary, editable form that precedes completion.

See also: draft, revision, manuscript.