ólokað

ólokað is an Icelandic adjective formed with the negative prefix ó- attached to loka, meaning to close or finish. The term literally conveys the sense of “not closed” or “unclosed” and is used to describe something that has not been sealed, concluded, or finalized. In practice, its meaning can vary with context, ranging from a physical state (a door or container that is not closed) to a figurative one (an issue or process that remains open or unresolved).

Usage and register vary. Ólokað appears more often in formal, technical, or archival writing than in everyday speech. It can be used to indicate that a matter has not yet reached a closed or settled status, and it may contrast with more common expressions for “open” or “unfinished” in casual language. Because it is relatively rare in daily Icelandic, writers tend to choose more common terms such as opinn or unclosed constructions when speaking informally.

Etymology and form. Ólokað combines the negating prefix ó- with the verb loka (to close). As a past participle adjective, it behaves like other adjectives in Icelandic and can occur in attributive or predicative position, agreeing with the noun it modifies in gender and number.

See also: loka, opinn, unfinished in Icelandic linguistic usage. Ólokað is primarily of interest for linguistic study and for understanding more formal or historical Icelandic phrasing, rather than as a term in everyday conversation.