þrefaldar

Þrefaldar is an Icelandic term meaning threefold or triple. In modern Icelandic it functions primarily as an adjective describing something that is made up of three parts or is multiplied by three. The standard base adjective is related to other Germanic languages that use a cognate meaning threefold, such as Norwegian trefald and Swedish trefald, indicating a common medieval formation for “threefold” across Norse and Scandinavian languages.

Etymology and cognates: the word derives from the same roots that denote the number three in Old Norse and its descendants, combined with a suffix or denominator used to form distributive or multiplicative descriptors. In related Scandinavian languages, forms such as trefald (Norwegian) or trefald (Swedish) appear with similar meaning, reflecting a shared historical development of the concept.

Grammatical usage: in Icelandic, Þrefaldar can appear as a verb form and as an adjective in various grammatical contexts. As a verb, it can be the present tense, third-person singular of the verb þrefalda, meaning to triple or to multiply by three. As an adjective, it participates in standard Icelandic declension alongside other forms of the related adjective (for example, the word may take on different endings to agree with gender, number, and definiteness in a noun phrase). In historical or religious writing, the term is often encountered to describe triple aspects or a threefold nature, such as triadic or triune concepts.

See also: threefold, triple, triune in religious and literary contexts; cognates in Norwegian and Swedish usage.