barmhjertig

Danish

Etymology

From Middle Low German barmhertich, originally a compound of arm (“poor”) +‎ hert (“heart”) +‎ -ich, from Proto-West Germanic *arm + *hertā + *-g, like German barmherzig, from Old High German armherz.

In both branches of German, we have b- from the verb vorbarmen, erbarmen (“have mercy”) (hence Danish forbarme). The adjective is a calque of Latin misericors, possibly under the influence of Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐌼𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍂𐍄𐍃 (armahairts).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [b̥ɑːmˈjaɐ̯d̥i]

Adjective

barmhjertig (neuter barmhjertigt, plural and definite singular attributive barmhjertige)

1. merciful, charitable, compassionate

References

• “barmhjertig” in Den Danske Ordbog

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Middle Low German barmhertich.

Adjective

barmhjertig (neuter singular barmhjertig, definite singular and plural barmhjertige)

1. merciful, kind, kind-hearted, compassionate

   en barmhjertig samaritan ― a Good Samaritan

Derived terms

• den barmhjertige samaritan

See also

• miskunnsam (Nynorsk)

References

• “barmhjertig” in The Bokmål Dictionary.