mál

See also: Appendix:Variations of "mal"

Faroese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɔɑːl/

  Rhymes: -ɔɑːl

• Rhymes: -ɔaːl

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *maþlą.

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, plural mál)

1. language
2. speech
3. talk
4. matter
5. (law) cause

Declension

Declension of mál
n3	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	mál	málið	mál	málini
accusative	mál	málið	mál	málini
dative	máli	málinum	málum	málunum
genitive	máls	málsins	mála	málanna

Derived terms

• endamál
• vandamál
• loyndarmál
• fiskivinnumál
• fíggjarmál
• skattamál
• rættarmál
• bergmál
• tungumál
• talumál
• skriftmál
• bundið mál
• óbundið mál
• málsgrein
• mállæra
• málnevnd

Etymology 2

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *mēlą, whence also English meal. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European root *meh₁- (“to measure”).

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, plural mál)

1. measurement, size

Declension

Declension of mál
n3	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	mál	málið	mál	málini
accusative	mál	málið	mál	málini
dative	máli	málinum	málum	málunum
genitive	máls	málsins	mála	málanna

Derived terms

• ummál

---

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mauːl/

  Rhymes: -auːl

Etymology 1

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *maþlą.

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, nominative plural mál)

1. language
2. speech
3. matter, affair
4. (law) cause
5. (informal) a big deal

Synonyms

• (language): tunga, tungumál, (chiefly archaic) sprok
• (speech): málfar, tungutak, mæli
• (measurement): mæling

Derived terms

• barnamál
• ekkert mál

  ekkert mál fyrir Jón Pál

• gælumál
• áhugamál
• forritunarmál
• smalamál
• tungumál

Related terms

• mæla

Etymology 2

From Old Norse mál, from Proto-Germanic *mēlą, whence also English meal. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European root *meh₁- (“to measure”).

Noun

mál n (genitive singular máls, nominative plural mál)

1. measurements, a size, dimensions
2. a system of measurement
3. the appropriate time for something

   Er ekki mál að fara?

   Isn't it time to go?

4. a meal, mealtime

Synonyms

• (system of measurement): mælikerfi
• (meal): máltíð

Derived terms

• taka mál, taka mál af
• mál til komið
• vera mál
• milli mála
• flatarmál

Related terms

• mæla

---

Old Norse

Etymology 1

From Proto-Germanic *maþlą, whence also Old Saxon mahal, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌸𐌻 (maþl).

Noun

mál n

1. language
2. speech
3. matter, affair
4. (law) cause

Descendants

• Danish: mål n
• Faroese: mál n
• Icelandic: mál n

• Norwegian Bokmål: mål n
• Norwegian Nynorsk: mål n
• Swedish: mål n

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *mēlą (“measure, time, occassion”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European root *meh₁- (“to measure”). Cognate with Old English mǣl, Old Frisian mēl, Old Saxon māl, Old High German māl, Gothic 𐌼𐌴𐌻 (mēl, “time, hour”).

Noun

mál n (genitive máls, plural mál)

1. measurement, size
2. time
3. meal, mealtime

Declension

  Declension of mál (strong a-stem)

neuter	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	mál	málit	mál	málin
accusative	mál	málit	mál	málin
dative	máli	málinu	málum	málunum
genitive	máls	málsins	mála	málanna

Descendants

• Danish: mål n
• Faroese: mál n
• Icelandic: mál n

• Norwegian Bokmål: mål n
• Norwegian Nynorsk: mål n
• Swedish: mål n

Etymology 3

From the same Germanic source as Old Saxon māl and Gothic 𐌼𐌴𐌻 (mēl), used by Ulfilas to translate Ancient Greek γραφή (graphḗ) and γράμμα (grámma). Related to Gothic 𐌼𐌴𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 (mēljan) (translating Ancient Greek γράφω (gráphō, “draw, write”)) and German malen (“to paint”).

Noun

mál n

1. a work of art inlaid in metal, especially on weapons