udlånte

Udlånte is a Danish term that serves as the past participle of the verb udlåne, meaning to lend out or to loan. In standard usage it functions as an adjective describing items that have been lent to someone else and are therefore not presently in the owner’s possession. The form is commonly found in contexts where objects or materials are lent, such as libraries, archives, museums, and other organizations that circulate items.

Etymology and related forms: udlån is the noun for a loan, and udlåne combines the prefix ud- (out) with låne (to lend). The past participle udlånte is one way to describe borrowed items in Danish. In Norwegian Bokmål, the equivalent form is utlånte (or utlånt), reflecting a similar linguistic pattern across the two languages.

Usage in practice: in Danish catalogs and everyday language, udlånte describes items that are currently on loan. Examples include phrases like udlånte bøger (books that have been lent out) and Bøgerne er udlånte (The books are on loan). The term can appear attributively before a plural noun or predicatively after a linking verb, depending on sentence structure.

Contexts and nuance: while most common in libraries and cultural institutions, udlånte can also refer to tools, equipment, or media loan programs in schools, companies, or municipal services. It emphasizes the temporary nature of possession and the obligation of return in the lending arrangement.

See also: udlån, udlåner, låner. In Norwegian, a closely related form is utlånte, reflecting regional spelling variations while preserving the same core meaning.