vålnad

Swedish

Etymology

Originally the same word as vårdnad (“custody, care taking”) from vårda (“to care for, to take care of”) and vård (“care, protection”) that comes from Old Swedish varþa from Old Norse vǫrðr from Proto-Germanic *warduz. See also Icelandic vörður. The development from rð > l (originally /ɽ/) is characteristic of the traditional dialects of central and northern Sweden, compare e.g. hin håle, tvi vale, våla etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌvoːlˈnad/

Noun

vålnad c

1. ghost, spirit, wraith

   Synonyms: ande, gast, gengångare, spöke, fantom

Declension

Declension of vålnad
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	vålnad	vålnaden	vålnader	vålnaderna
Genitive	vålnads	vålnadens	vålnaders	vålnadernas

References

• vålnad in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• vålnad in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• vålnad in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• vålnad in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)