leika

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse leika, from Proto-Germanic *laikaną, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg-.

Verb

leika

1. to play (game, instrument, etc.)

Conjugation

Conjugation of leika (group v-29-30)

infinitive	leika
supine	leikað
	present	past
first singular	leiki	leikti/ leikaði
second singular	leikar	leikti/ leikaði
third singular	leikar	leikti/ leikaði
plural	leika	leiktu/ leikaðu
participle (a5 (a39)/a6)1	leikandi	leiktur/ leikaður
	imperative
singular	leika!
plural	leikið!

¹Only the past participle being declined.

Gothic

Romanization

leika

1. romanization of 𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌺𐌰

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse leika, from Proto-Germanic *laikaną, from Proto-Indo-European *leyg-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈleiːka]

  Rhymes: -eiːka

Verb

leika (strong verb, third-person singular past indicative lék, third-person plural past indicative léku, supine leikið)

1. to play

Derived terms

• leika við hvern sinn fingur
• leika sér

Anagrams

• keila

Norwegian Nynorsk

Verb

leika (present tense leikar/leiker, past tense leika/leikte, past participle leika/leikt, passive infinitive leikast, present participle leikande, imperative leika/leik)

1. alternative form of leike

Old Norse

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *laikaną.

Verb

leika (singular past indicative lék, plural past indicative léku, past participle leikinn)

1. to play
2. to outplay
   • 9th c., Þjóðólfr of Hvinir, Ynglingatal, verse 7:

     Ok allvald / Yngva þjóðar
     Loka mær / of leikinn hefr.

     And the maiden of Loki [Hel, goddess of death] / has outplayed
     the prince / of the people of Yngvi [the Swedes]

Conjugation

Conjugation of leika — active (strong class 7)

infinitive	leika
present participle	leikandi
past participle	leikinn
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	leik	lék		leika	léka
2nd person singular	leikr	lékt		leikir	lékir
3rd person singular	leikr	lék		leiki	léki
1st person plural	leikum	lékum		leikim	lékim
2nd person plural	leikið	lékuð		leikið	lékið
3rd person plural	leika	léku		leiki	léki
imperative	present
2nd person singular	leik
1st person plural	leikum
2nd person plural	leikið

Conjugation of leika — mediopassive (strong class 7)

infinitive	leikask
present participle	leikandisk
past participle	leikizk
	indicative			subjunctive
	present	past		present	past
1st person singular	leikumk	lékumk		leikumk	lékumk
2nd person singular	leiksk	lékzk		leikisk	lékisk
3rd person singular	leiksk	léksk		leikisk	lékisk
1st person plural	leikumsk	lékumsk		leikimsk	lékimsk
2nd person plural	leikizk	lékuzk		leikizk	lékizk
3rd person plural	leikask	lékusk		leikisk	lékisk
imperative	present
2nd person singular	leiksk
1st person plural	leikumsk
2nd person plural	leikizk

Derived terms

• leika tveim skjǫldum (“to play both sides against the middle”)
• leikari m (“jester”)

Descendants

• Icelandic: leika
• Faroese: leika
• Norwegian Nynorsk: leika
  • → Norwegian Bokmål: leike
• Old Swedish: lēka
  • Swedish: leka
• Old Danish: lækæ
  • Danish: lege
    • Norwegian Bokmål: leke
• Scanian: lega
• Gutnish: laika
• → Middle English: layken, leyken, leiken, laiken
  • English: lake, laik
  • Scots: laik

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

leika n (genitive leika, plural leiku)

1. plaything, doll

leika f (genitive leiku, plural leikur)

1. plaything, doll
2. play-sister

Declension

Declension of leika (weak an-stem)

neuter	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	leika	leikat	leiku	leikun
accusative	leika	leikat	leiku	leikun
dative	leika	leikanu	leikum	leikunum
genitive	leika	leikans	leikna	leiknanna

Declension of leika (weak ōn-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	leika	leikan	leikur	leikurnar
accusative	leiku	leikuna	leikur	leikurnar
dative	leiku	leikunni	leikum	leikunum
genitive	leiku	leikunnar	leikna	leiknanna

Descendants

• Norwegian Nynorsk: leike f
• Norwegian Bokmål: leke m or f, leike m or f

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Adjective

leika

1. inflection of leikr:
   1. positive degree strong feminine accusative singular
   2. positive degree strong masculine accusative plural
   3. positive degree weak masculine oblique singular
   4. positive degree weak feminine nominative singular
   5. positive degree weak neuter singular

Noun

leika

1. accusative/genitive plural of leikr

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910), “leika”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive