grantopp

Norwegian Bokmål

A couple of Norway spruces, with the crowns visible on top.

Etymology

gran +‎ topp, first part from Old Norse grǫn (“spruce, pine tree”), from Proto-Germanic *granō (“awn, bristles”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰrān- (“edge, end, tip”). Last part from Old Norse toppr, from Proto-Germanic *tuppaz (“tuft, top, summit”), either a secondary formation from *tebō, *tappaz (“tuft, knot, peg”), or from earlier *tumpaz with irregular development *mp > *pp, from Proto-Indo-European *dewmb- (“penis, tail, rod”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡrɑːntɔp/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔp
• Hyphenation: gran‧topp

Noun

grantopp m (definite singular grantoppen, indefinite plural grantopper, definite plural grantoppene)

1. the crown of a Norway spruce
   • 1852, Henrik Wergeland, Samlede Skrifter I, page 116:

     [en irisk] i granetop har søde drossels barm med sang at føde

     [an irish] in the top of a spruce has sweet thrushes bosom with song to give birth

   • 1848, Johan Sebastian Welhaven, Samlede Digterverker III, page 157:

     men hør! – hvad er det, som kan runge med malmets klang i granetop?

     but listen! - what is it that can resonate with the sound of the ore in the spruce top?

   • 1909, Henrik Ibsen, Efterladte Skrifter I, page 61:

     grantoppens susen

     the whistle of the spruce crown

   • 1964, Alf Prøysen, Den grønne votten, page 9:

     den røde nyttårssola lyste over grantoppene i baklia

     the red New Year's sun shone over the spruce tops in the back

   • 1959, Axel Jensen, Line, page 279:

     lyset flyter som silkebånd mellom grantoppene

     the light flows like silk ribbons between the spruce tops

   • 1997, Tove Nilsen, G for Georg, pages 15–16:

     de rapper hønseegg og klatrer opp i skjærereir med dem i håp om at det skal si kykeliky fra grantoppene

     they grab chicken eggs and climb into cutting nests with them in the hope that it will say cock-a-doodle-doo from the spruce tops

   • 1999, Kim Småge, Koksbiter og trollsplint:

     høre de melankolske trillene til svarttrosten øverst i grantoppen

     hear the melancholy trills of the blackbird at the top of the spruce top

   • 1991, Tormod Haugen, Øglene kommer:

     månen var borte bak grantoppene

     the moon was gone behind the spruce tops

   • 2003, Per Petterson, Ut og stjæle hester:

     jeg så opp og så grantoppene svaie og piske mot hverandre

     I looked up and saw the spruce tops swaying and whipping towards each other

References

• “grantopp” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).