styv

See also: styv-

Swedish

Etymology

Used in Old Swedish. Cognate with Old Danish and Middle Low German stif, related to Latin stipes (pole, beam). The second meaning (skilled) used since 1614. From Middle Low German stīf, from Old Saxon *stīf, from Proto-Germanic *stīfaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *steyp.

Adjective

styv (comparative styvare, superlative styvast)

1. stiff; unbending, which does not easily fold

   Antonym: slak

   visa sig på styva linan

   walk on a tightrope, show your skills

2. (dated) skilled at something, strong, impressive, mighty

Declension

Inflection of styv

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	styv	styvare	styvast
neuter singular	styvt	styvare	styvast
plural	styva	styvare	styvast
masculine plural2	styve	styvare	styvast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	styve	styvare	styvaste
all	styva	styvare	styvaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Related terms

• stift
• styv i korken
• styv lina
• styv-
• styva
• styvbent
• styvhala
• styvhet
• styvna
• styvnackad
• styvnad
• styvning
• styvsinnad
• styvsint
• styvstärkt
• styvt

References

• “styv”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “styv”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “styv”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)