Ógnað

Ógnað is an Icelandic word formed as the past participle of the verb ógna, meaning to threaten. It functions as an adjective describing a state resulting from threat, typically translated as “threatened.” In standard usage, ógnað refers to something that has already been threatened or to a person who has been subjected to threats. By contrast, the present participle ógnandi means “threatening” and is used for ongoing or imminent threat. The noun form for the act or instance of threatening is ógnun, and the noun ógn itself means “threat” or “menace.”

Etymology and related forms: ógnað derives from the verb ógna, which in turn comes from Old Norse and is linked to the noun ógn meaning threat. The word has cognates and parallels in other Nordic languages, reflecting a shared semantic field around threat and intimidation. The related forms include ógnandi (threatening) and ógnun (the act or instance of threatening), which help differentiate aspects of threat in Icelandic grammar.

Usage: In contemporary Icelandic, ógnað appears most often in formal or written contexts, including journalism, legal language, and official reporting on coercion or intimidation. It is less common in casual speech, where speakers may prefer synonyms like ógnandi or more specific phrases describing the nature of the threat. The term carries a neutral to slightly formal connotation, with its precise sense dependent on context and accompanying words.

See also: ógn, ógnun, ógna, ógnandi.