útganga

Útganga is a feminine Icelandic noun that denotes an exit or departure. It refers to the act of leaving a place as well as the physical route by which one may leave, such as a doorway or corridor. In everyday usage, útganga is used when talking about leaving a room, building, or other space, and it often appears in signage and safety instructions to indicate an egress.

Etymology: The word is formed from út- meaning “out” and ganga meaning “going” or “walk,” literally a way out. The term is related to other navigation and movement words in Icelandic, and in some contexts may be contrasted with related terms such as útgangur.

Contexts and usage: In architecture and safety contexts, útganga designates an exit and is commonly found on signs and in directions for evacuations. In more general prose, it can refer to the act of leaving a place, such as a person’s departure from a room or venue. In some technical or formal registers, útganga can be used metaphorically to mean an outward flow or exit of something from a system, but such usages are less common and highly context dependent.

Examples: Dyrin sem leiðir út úr byggingunni er merkt með útganga. This door provides the útganga for emergency evacuation. In discussions of events, one might refer to the útgönguferð or the departure of attendees, though the exact phrasing depends on context.

See also: útgangur, a related term commonly used for “exit” in Icelandic.