Øverst

Øverst is a Norwegian word that functions as an adverb and, in some expressions, as part of a noun phrase meaning “at the top” or “uppermost.” It denotes a position higher than others, whether in space, order, or ranking. The term is used for concrete locations such as the top floor or the upper part of a surface, as well as for figurative positions like being at the top of a list or the class. Common collocations include øverst i rekken, øverst på siden, øverst i boka, and øverst i klassen. Etymologically, øverst comes from the idea of being over or above, with a suffix that marks a topmost position, and it is cognate with Danish overst and Swedish överst.

Grammatical notes and usage: øverst can function as an adverb (han satt øverst) or as part of a prepositional phrase indicating location (øverst i køen, øverst i bygningen). It describes vertical or hierarchical positioning, and can appear with definite nouns in phrases such as øverste etasje (the topmost floor) or øverst på siden (at the top of the page). The related antonym is nederst, meaning “at the bottom” or “lowest.”

In practice, øverst is neutral and widely used in written and spoken Norwegian. It appears in instructional, descriptive, and formal contexts as well as in everyday language. The word is inseparable from spatial and ordinal expressions, and it helps assign a clear top position in both physical and abstract arrangements.