skälm

Swedish

Alternative forms

• skelm (archaic)

Etymology

From Old Swedish skiælmber, from Middle Low German schelm. Disputed origin. Cognate of German Schelm, Dutch schelm, Danish skælm, Icelandic skelmir.

Noun

skälm c

1. schelm, rogue, scoundrel
   • 1649, Jacobus Petri Chronander, Bele-Snack, Eller Een Ny Comœdia, act I, scene IV, page 40:

     TV Konstrijke Mästare, godt rådh giff,
     Skall man nu skona thenna skelmens lijff?

     THOU artful Master, good counsel give,
     Should one now spare this scoundrel's life?

Declension

Declension of skälm

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	skälm	skälms
	definite	skälmen	skälmens
plural	indefinite	skälmar	skälmars
	definite	skälmarna	skälmarnas

Derived terms

• skälmaktig
• skälmsk

Descendants

• → Finnish: kelmi
• → Estonian: kelm

References

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

Anagrams

• kläms