þjónn

þjónn is a noun in Icelandic and Old Norse meaning a servant or attendant. In historical contexts, the term referred to a person in service to a household, a noble, or a temple or court, performing tasks such as cooking, cleaning, or errands. It contrasted with terms for slaves, such as þræll, reflecting different social statuses within Norse and medieval Icelandic society. The exact status of a þjónn varied by time and place, and some were free or semi-free workers bound by obligation or wage.

In modern Icelandic, the word retains its core sense of someone who provides service, and it is used for both household assistants and service staff. It is also the standard term for a waiter or server in restaurants. The word is written with the thorn letter þ, a feature kept in modern Icelandic orthography, and it has cognates in other North Germanic languages through a common service-related root.

Cultural and linguistic notes: the distinction between þjónn and enslaved or bonded laborers in historical sources highlights social hierarchies of the period. Today, the term is neutral and common in everyday language, with the specific meaning often clarified by context, such as domestic servant, employee, or restaurant server.