óefnislegur

Óefnislegur is Icelandic an adjective meaning immaterial or intangible, i.e., not consisting of physical substance. It is used to describe things that lack material form, such as ideas, values, emotions, information, or rights. It serves as the opposite of efnislegur, which means material or physical.

Etymology: the word is formed from efni, meaning substance or material, with the negating prefix ó- and the adjectival ending -legur. The term can combine with different nouns to form phrases like óefnislegir hlutir (immaterial things) or óefnislegt verðmæti (intangible value).

Usage: in philosophy and metaphysics, óefnisleg fyrirbæri refers to immaterial phenomena such as the mind or consciousness. In economics and accounting, the concept appears in phrases like óefnislegar eignir or óefnislegt verðmæti, denoting intangible assets such as brand value, patents, or goodwill. In law and everyday language, it describes non-physical rights or attributes, for example óefnisleg réttindi (intangible rights).

Examples: óefnislegur eiginleiki (immaterial property), óefnislegt verðmæti (intangible value), and óefnisleg eign (intangible asset). The term is commonly contrasted with efnislegur (material) and líkamlegur (bodily/physical).

See also: intangible asset, immaterial property, efnislegur, líkamlegur.