þolendur

Þolendur is an Icelandic noun meaning endurer or survivor. It refers to people who have endured hardship or survived an event. The word is formed from the verb þola, “to endure,” and the agent-noun suffix -endur. The corresponding singular form is þolandi, and the plural is þolendur.

Usage of the term is common in historical writing, journalism, and literature when describing individuals or communities that have persisted through adverse circumstances, such as famine, persecution, natural disasters, or war. It emphasizes resilience and continuity rather than suffering alone. In modern discourse, it can be used neutrally to designate survivors of a specific event or more broadly to discuss resilience within a society.

In a broader sense, þolendur can appear in narrative or analytical contexts to frame collective memory and identity around endurance. It is not a proper name or a fixed label for a particular historical group, but rather a descriptive term that can be applied to various contexts where endurance is a central theme.

See also: survivor, resilience, endurance.