voldelige

Voldelige is the inflected form of the adjective voldelig, meaning “violent” in Norwegian and Danish. It is used to describe people, actions, or events that involve or are characterized by violence or aggression.

Etymology and cognates: The word stems from a stem meaning violence or force, combined with the adjectival suffix used to form descriptive terms. It is part of a family of related words in the Scandinavian languages that express severity, harm, or forceful behavior.

Grammar and usage: In Norwegian and Danish, adjectives agree with the noun they describe in number and gender. Voldelige is the form used before plural nouns, as in voldelige hendelser (violent events) or voldelige filmer (violent films). The corresponding singular form is voldelig. In definite noun phrases, the adjective retains its plural form when describing plural nouns, for example, de voldelige hendelsene (the violent events).

Context and nuance: The term is common in news reports, academic writing, and everyday language when discussing violence, risk, or harm. While the word itself is neutral, it often appears in contexts that emphasize negative or harmful aspects of actions or behavior. It can be used literally to describe physical violence or metaphorically to describe intense or extreme actions, ideas, or trends.

See also: Violence, Violent crime, Vold (violence), Voldelighet (violence as a concept).