veigamikil

Veigamikill is an Icelandic adjective meaning weighty, significant, or substantial. It is used to describe something that has considerable importance, gravity, or consequence, such as a decision, a piece of evidence, or an event. In English, it is commonly translated as weighty or substantive, though nuances may vary with context. The term conveys more than mere importance; it implies that the subject will have lasting or substantial impact.

Etymology and form: Veigamikill is a compound built from veiga, related to the verb to weigh, and mikill, meaning great or large. The combination expresses the sense of “weighing heavily” in importance. In Icelandic, like many adjectives, veigamikill inflects for gender and number with the noun it modifies, and its form changes accordingly in different grammatical contexts.

Usage: Veigamikill is relatively formal and more common in written Icelandic—academic prose, journalism, and official discourse—than in everyday conversation. It can modify nouns directly (for example, a weighty factor) or appear in predicative position after a linking verb. The word emphasizes the significance and potential consequences of the subject rather than simply its popularity or frequency.

Related terms: It sits among a family of words describing importance and magnitude, such as mikilvæg (important) and mikill (great), but veigamikill specifically foregrounds gravity and weight in its assessment.

See also: Icelandic vocabulary related to weight, significance, and consequence, as well as general adjective agreement in Icelandic grammar.