vittra

Swedish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from German wittern (“to scent”), verwittern (“to erode”), both from Middle High German weter (“weather”). Compare Danish forvitre.

Verb

vittra (present vittrar, preterite vittrade, supine vittrat, imperative vittra)

2. (sometimes with bort (“away”) or other particles) to break down into small particles (often of mountains and the like, through natural processes), to weather

   Synonym: (completely) förvittra

4. to pick up a scent; to smell (also figuratively)

   Han såg att hunden vittrade något

   He could tell the dog was picking up some scent

   Laget vittrade blod när motståndarlagets bästa spelare utvisades

   The team smelt blood when the best player in the opposing team was sent off

Usage notes

• Sometimes used figuratively similar to how wither would be used in English in (sense 1), though vissna is closer to the literal meaning.
• See vittring to get a sense of how (sense 2) might be used.

Conjugation

Conjugation of vittra (weak)

	Active		Passive
Infinitive	vittra		vittras
Supine	vittrat		vittrats
Imperative	vittra		—
Imper. plural1	vittren		—
	Present	Past	Present	Past
Indicative	vittrar	vittrade	vittras	vittrades
Ind. plural1	vittra	vittrade	vittras	vittrades
Subjunctive2	vittre	vittrade	vittres	vittrades
	Participles
Present participle	vittrande
Past participle	vittrad
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs.

Related terms

• vittring

See also

• vädra

Etymology 2

Doublet of vätte.

Noun

vittra c

1. (folklore) a mythological, underground-dwelling creature from Scandinavian folklore

Declension

Declension of vittra
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	vittra	vittran	vittror	vittrorna
Genitive	vittras	vittrans	vittrors	vittrornas

See also

• väsen

References

• vittra in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• vittra in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• vittra in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• vittra in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)