þungun

Þungun is a historical Icelandic noun meaning heaviness or weight, in both physical and metaphorical senses. It is found in Old Norse and early Icelandic texts as an abstract noun derived from the adjective þungr, meaning heavy, with the common suffix -un used to form nouns. In its etymology the word is linked to Proto-Germanic roots for weight or burden and has cognates in other North Germanic languages. In modern Icelandic, the everyday term for weight is usually þyngd, and þungun appears chiefly in literary or scholarly contexts as an archaic or elevated word.

In usage, þungun describes the weight of physical objects as well as figurative heaviness such as responsibility, gravity, or severity. Its appearance in sagas and poetry often carries a solemn or monumental tone, emphasizing the magnitude of a burden, fate, or a decision rather than simply noting mass. The pronunciation is typically given as roughly [ˈθuŋɡun], with the initial þ representing a voiceless th sound and the ng as a velar nasal.

Over time, modern Icelandic has largely replaced or supplemented þungun with more common terms like þyngd for weight, while retaining þungun in historical, poetic, or linguistic discussions. Related forms include the adjective þungr (heavy) and the noun þyngd (weight), reflecting a shared semantic field around mass and significance.