viðheldur

Viðheldur is an Icelandic verb form meaning to maintain, preserve, or uphold. It is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb viðhalda. The word is used when a subject is actively keeping something in a state, continuing a practice, or upholding standards, rules, relationships, or systems. For example, the sentence Hann viðheldur reglunum translates to He upholds the rules. The sense can apply to tangible conditions, such as equipment or infrastructure, as well as to intangible commitments, like trust or norms.

Etymology and related forms: The verbviðhalda is a compound built from the prefix við- and the verb halda (to hold or keep). The prefix adds a sense of ongoing maintenance or continuation. Related nouns include viðhald, meaning maintenance or preservation, and the related verb forms cover various tenses and persons, all derived from the same root.

Usage notes: Viðheldur is common in formal, administrative, and policy-related Icelandic, as well as in everyday contexts where continuity or upholding is being described. It often appears with objects referring to standards, agreements, relationships, or conditions that are being kept stable over time. In dictionaries and language references, it is presented alongside other forms of viðhalda, such as viðheldur, viðheldir, or viðhalda in different persons and tenses.

See also: Viðhald (maintenance/preservation), halda (to hold/keep), viðhalda (to maintain), upprunaleg Icelandic terminology for maintenance and standards.