mál

See also Appendix:Variations of "mal"

Faroese

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *maþlą.

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, plural mál)

1. language
2. speech
3. talk
4. matter
5. (law) cause

Declension

n3	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	mál	málið	mál	málini
Accusative	mál	málið	mál	málini
Dative	máli	málinum	málum	málunum
Genitive	máls	málsins	mála	málanna

Etymology 2

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *mēlą, whence also English meal.

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, plural mál)

1. measurement, size

Declension

n3	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	mál	málið	mál	málini
Accusative	mál	málið	mál	málini
Dative	máli	málinum	málum	málunum
Genitive	máls	málsins	mála	málanna

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Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA: /mauːl/

  Rhymes: -auːl

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *maþlą.

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, plural mál)

1. language
2. speech
3. matter, affair
4. (law) cause
5. (informal) a big deal

Declension

declension of mál

n-s	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	mál	málið	mál	málin
accusative	mál	málið	mál	málin
dative	máli	málinu	málum	málunum
genitive	máls	málsins	mála	málanna

Synonyms

• (language): tunga, tungumál, (chiefly archaic) sprok
• (speech): málfar, tungutak, mæli
• (measurement): mæling

Derived terms

• barnamál
• ekkert mál

  ekkert mál fyrir Jón Pál

• gælumál
• áhugamál
• forritunarmál
• smalamál
• tungumál

Related terms

• mæla

Etymology 2

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *mēlą, whence also English meal.

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, plural mál)

1. measurements, a size, dimensions
2. a system of measurement
3. the appropriate time for something

   Er ekki mál að fara?

   Isn't it time to go?

4. a meal, mealtime

Synonyms

• (system of measurement): mælikerfi
• (meal): máltíð

Declension

declension of mál

n-s	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	mál	málið	mál	málin
accusative	mál	málið	mál	málin
dative	máli	málinu	málum	málunum
genitive	máls	málsins	mála	málanna

Derived terms

• taka mál, taka mál af
• mál til komið
• vera mál
• milli mála

Related terms

• mæla

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Old Norse

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *maþlą, whence also Old Saxon mahal, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌻 (maþl).

Noun

mál n

1. language
2. speech
3. matter, affair
4. (law) cause

Descendants

Danish: mål n Faroese: mál n Icelandic: mál n

Norwegian: mål n Swedish: mål n

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *mēlą, whence also Old English mǣl (English meal), Old Frisian mēl, Old High German māl (German Mahl, Mal) Gothic 𐌼𐌴𐌻 (mēl, “time, hour”).

Noun

mál n

1. measurement, size
2. time
3. meal, mealtime

Descendants

Danish: mål n Faroese: mál n Icelandic: mál n

Norwegian: mål n Swedish: mål n

Etymology 3

From the same Germanic source as Old Saxon māl and Gothic 𐌼𐌴𐌻 (mēl), used by Ulfilas to translate Ancient Greek γραφή (graphḗ) and γράμμα (gramma). Related to Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 (maljan) (translating γράφω (“draw, write”)) and German malen (“to paint”).

Noun

mál n

1. a work of art inlaid in metal, especially on weapons