áhöld

áhöld is an Icelandic noun meaning equipment, gear, or implements used to perform various tasks. It is a broad term that can refer to tools, utensils, devices, or personal gear used by a person, a household, or an organization. In everyday language, more common words for tools and equipment are verkfæri and búnaður, while áhöld tends to be slightly more formal or archaic and appears more often in descriptive, literary, or historical contexts.

The singular form of the word is áhald, and the plural is áhöld. The etymology is not universally spelled out in standard dictionaries, but it is generally regarded as related to the notion of holding or possessing objects, with the affix á- forming a noun that denotes the things one holds or uses as equipment. The term is encountered in older texts, inventories, and scholarly writing, where it often conveys a sense of belonging or assigned gear.

Usage and nuance: áhöld can carry a connotation of a person’s or group’s equipment as a category, sometimes with mnemonic or archival overtones. In contemporary Icelandic, it is less common in everyday speech and more likely to appear in formal writing, historical descriptions, or discussions of material culture.

See also: verkfæri (tools), búnaður (equipment), útbúnaður (setup, apparatus).