ENGLISH
REFERENCE

norwegian

n. C / U
A1 Beginner US //ˌnɔɹˈwidʒən// nor·we·gian

n. a person from Norway or the language spoken in that country.

n. a native or inhabitant of Norway, or the North Germanic language spoken primarily in that country.


SIMPLE

She is a Norwegian who lives in Oslo.

CONTEXTUAL

The museum guide spoke perfect English, but she switched to Norwegian to help the local tourists.

COMPLEX

While many Scandinavians can understand one another, a native Norwegian often finds it easier to comprehend written Danish and spoken Swedish than vice versa.

Synonyms
Origin

From Medieval Latin Norvegia (from Old Norse Norvegr (“Norway”)) + -an, with v replaced by w due to influence from earlier English Norwayan (“Norwegian”).

Usage

As a language, it is uncountable; as a demonym for a person, it is countable.

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