svangur

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse svangr (“slender, slim, thin”), from svangi (“the groins”), also spelled svangr.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsvɛŋkʊɹ/
• Rhymes: -ɛŋkʊɹ

Adjective

svangur (comparative svangari, superlative svangastur)

1. hungry

Declension

svangur a13
Singular (eintal)	m (kallkyn)	f (kvennkyn)	n (hvørkikyn)
Nominative (hvørfall)	svangur	svong	svangt
Accusative (hvønnfall)	svangan	svanga
Dative (hvørjumfall)	svongum	svangari	svongum
Genitive (hvørsfall)	(svangs)	(svangar)	(svangs)
Plural (fleirtal)	m (kallkyn)	f (kvennkyn)	n (hvørkikyn)
Nominative (hvørfall)	svangir	svangar	svong
Accusative (hvønnfall)	svangar
Dative (hvørjumfall)	svongum
Genitive (hvørsfall)	(svanga)

Antonyms

• mettur (full)

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsvauŋkʏr/
• Rhymes: -auŋkʏr

Etymology 1

From Old Norse svangr (“slender, slim, thin”), from Proto-Germanic *swangaz (“thin, slim”). The original meaning in Germanic was probably 'curved inwards', discernible from the derived Old Norse svangi (“flank, groin”), i.e., 'the sides of the abdomen which curve inwards slightly'. Within Icelandic the meaning developed from 'thin' to 'feeling hungry'. Cognates are Faroese svangur (“hungry”), Danish svang (“thin, famished”), Norwegian svang (“hungry”), dialectal Swedish svånger (“thin, hungry, empty”), Middle Swedish svanger (“slender, emaciated, very thin”), Middle High German swanger (“flexible, slender”).

Further origin unsure, perhaps related to Old Irish seng (“narrow, thin”). Not related to Danish svanger, Norwegian svanger, Dutch zwanger, and German schwanger (“pregnant”).

Adjective

svangur (comparative svengri or svangari, superlative svengstur or svangastur)

1. hungry, peckish

   Ertu svöng?

   Are you hungry?

   Ég er mjög svangur.

   I'm really hungry.

2. (obsolete) thin, slender, slim

Synonyms

• (hungry): hungraður, soltinn
• (obsolete: thin): mjór, grannur, magur, mjósleginn

Derived terms

• ég er svangur (I am hungry)

Related terms

• svangi (“flank, groin”)
• svengd (“hunger”)
• svengja (“to be hungry”)

See also

• hungraður

Etymology 2

A noun of the adjectival form svangur (“hungry; thin”). Compare the Old Norse svangi (“the groins, especially of animals”) which was also spelled svangr (“the groins, especially of animals”).

Noun

svangur m (genitive singular svangs, nominative plural svangar)

1. an empty or hungry stomach; used in set phrases

   Ég held að ég fái mér eitthvað í svanginn.

   I think I'll get something to eat.

Usage notes

• In modern Icelandic, this word is predominantly used in the accusative case with a definite article ("svanginn") in the set phrase fá sér eitthvað í svanginn (“to get something to eat”).

Derived terms

• fá sér í svanginn (to get something to eat)