Word
nordic
/ˈnɔɹdɪk/
Definitions
01geography and culture
adj. relating to the countries of Northern Europe, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
adj. relating to the Nordic countries or their inhabitants, often encompassing shared social, political, and cultural characteristics.
“Many people admire the Nordic model of social welfare and education.”
“The conference focused on Nordic cooperation in renewable energy, highlighting successful initiatives across Scandinavia and Iceland.”
Usage
While often used interchangeably with 'Scandinavian', 'Nordic' is broader as it includes Finland and Iceland.
Teaching tip
Explain to students that 'Nordic' is the more inclusive term for the entire region compared to 'Scandinavian'.
Synonyms
02winter sports
adj. relating to types of skiing where the heel of the boot is not fixed to the ski, like cross-country skiing.
adj. relating to competitive skiing disciplines such as cross-country skiing and ski jumping, where the boot heel remains free.
“She prefers Nordic skiing because it provides a better full-body workout than downhill skiing.”
“The winter resort expanded its Nordic trails to accommodate the growing number of cross-country enthusiasts visiting each season.”
Usage
Usually capitalized in this context.
Teaching tip
In sports, 'Nordic' is the direct opposite of 'Alpine' (downhill) skiing.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03languages
adj. relating to the group of languages spoken in Northern Europe, like Norwegian and Swedish.
adj. pertaining to the North Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.
“Old Norse is the ancestor of modern Nordic languages.”
“The professor specialized in Nordic philology, specifically the evolution of vowel shifts in medieval Icelandic texts.”
Academic · Technical
Synonyms
Etymology
From French nordique, from nord (“north”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/nordic