From Old Norse fjándi, from Proto-Germanic *fijandz. Cognate with Norwegian and Swedish fiende, Danish fjende, English fiend, Dutch vijand, German Feind.
fjandi m (genitive singular (in the meaning "devil"; rarely used in the singular to mean "enemy") fjanda, nominative plural (in the meaning "devil") fjandar or (in the meaning "enemy") fjendur)
The plural fjendur is used with the sense of “enemies”, but fjandar for “devils”. In the sense “enemy”, the word is rarely encountered in the singular anymore. In the sense “devil”, it is often used in the singular with the definite article to indicate the Devil (Satan).
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative | fjandi1 | fjandinn1 | fjandar2, fjendur3 | fjandarnir2, fjendurnir3 |
| accusative | fjanda1 | fjandann1 | fjanda2, fjendur3 | fjandana2, fjendurna3 |
| dative | fjanda1 | fjandanum1 | fjöndum2, fjendum3 | fjöndunum2, fjendunum3 |
| genitive | fjanda1 | fjandans1 | fjanda2, fjenda3 | fjandanna2, fjendanna3 |
1In the meaning "devil"; rarely used in the singular to mean "enemy".
2In the meaning "devil".
3In the meaning "enemy".