undvære

Danish

Etymology

From Old Danish vntvære, formally = und- (“away”) +‎ være (“to be”). A remodelling of Middle Low German entberen, Middle Low German untberen, cf. German entbehren. The second part of this word is Proto-Germanic *beraną (“to carry, bear”). Swedish umbära was also borrowed from Low German.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɔnˌʋɛˀɐ]

Verb

undvære (imperative undvær, infinitive at undvære, present tense undværer, past tense undværede, perfect tense har undværet)

1. do without, miss

Usage notes

• Mostly in the infinitive with the modal verb kunne.

Derived terms

• undværlig
• uundværlig