nefna

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse nefna, nemna, from Proto-Germanic *namnijaną. Cognate with Swedish nämna and English neven.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɛpna/

  Rhymes: -ɛpna

Verb

nefna (weak verb, third-person singular past indicative nefndi, supine nefnt)

1. (transitive, with accusative) to name (give a name to)
   • Genesis 5:3 (Icelandic, English)

     Adam lifði hundrað og þrjátíu ár. Þá gat hann son í líking sinni, eftir sinni mynd, og nefndi hann Set.

     When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

2. (transitive, with accusative) to call (by name)
3. (transitive, with accusative) to mention
4. (transitive, with accusative) to appoint, name

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (mention): geta
• (appoint): útnefna, tilnefna

Derived terms

See also

• skíra

Old Norse

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *namnijaną.

Alternative forms

• nemna

Verb

nefna (singular past indicative nefndi, plural past indicative nefndu, past participle nefndr)

1. (transitive) to name
   • Sigrdrífumál stanza 6:

     Sigrúnar þú skalt kunna,
     ef þú vilt sigr hafa,
     ok rísta á hialti hiǫrs,
     sumar á véttrimum,
     sumar á valbǫstum,
     ok nefna tysvar Tý.

     Victory runes you must know
     if you will have victory,
     and carve them on the sword's hilt,
     some on the grasp
     and some on the inlay,
     and name Tyr twice.

2. (transitive) to mention
3. (transitive) to appoint
4. (reflexive) to be called

Conjugation

Descendants

Etymology 2

Noun

nefna f (genitive nefnu)

1. a naming
2. a nomination

Declension

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Participle

nefna

1. strong feminine accusative singular of nefndr
2. strong masculine accusative plural of nefndr
3. weak masculine oblique singular of nefndr
4. weak feminine nominative singular of nefndr
5. weak neuter singular of nefndr

References

• “nefna”, in Geir T. Zoëga (1910) A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press