afl

See also: afl. and AFL

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /apl/
• Rhymes: -apl

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Norse afl.

Noun

afl n (genitive singular afls, nominative plural öfl)

1. might, power, strength

   Synonym: þróttur

2. force

   Synonym: kraftur

   Öfl náttúrunnar.

   The forces of nature.

3. energy

   Synonym: orka

4. violence, force

   Synonym: ofbeldi

Declension

Declension of afl (neuter)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	afl	aflið	öfl	öflin
accusative	afl	aflið	öfl	öflin
dative	afli	aflinu	öflum	öflunum
genitive	afls	aflsins	afla	aflanna

Derived terms

• af öllu afli (“with all one's might”)
• þyngdarafl (“gravity”)

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old Norse afl.

Noun

afl m (genitive singular afls, nominative plural aflar)

1. (archaic) hearth in a forge

Declension

Declension of afl (masculine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	afl	aflinn	aflar	aflarnir
accusative	afl	aflinn	afla	aflana
dative	afli	aflinum	öflum	öflunum
genitive	afls	aflsins	afla	aflanna

Old Norse

FWOTD – 29 May 2015

Etymology 1

Probably from Proto-Germanic *abalaz or *aflaz (“hearth”).

Pronunciation

• (12th century Icelandic) IPA^(key): /ˈɑvl̩/

Noun

afl m (genitive afls, plural aflar)

1. a hearth (especially of a forge)
   • Stjórn 108, in 1862, C. R. Unger, Stjórn: gammelnorsk Bibelhistorie: fra Verdens Skabelse til det babyloniske Fangenskab. Christiania, page 312:

     Enn er gull tok at brenna i aflinum.

     And the gold began to burn in the hearth.

Declension

Declension of afl (strong a-stem)

masculine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	afl	aflinn	aflar	aflarnir
accusative	afl	aflinn	afla	aflana
dative	afli	aflinum	ǫflum	ǫflunum
genitive	afls	aflsins	afla	aflanna

Descendants

• Faroese: alv n
• Icelandic: afl m
• Norwegian: avl m

Further reading

• Richard Cleasby, Guðbrandur Vigfússon (1874) “afl”, in An Icelandic-English Dictionary, 1st edition, Oxford: Oxford Clarendon Press, page 7
• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “afl”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 3; also available at the Internet Archive

Etymology 2

From Proto-Germanic *aflą.

Noun

afl n

1. physical strength
2. force, violence
3. plurality of votes, majority
4. virtue, inherent power

Declension

Declension of afl (strong a-stem)

neuter	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	afl	aflit	ǫfl	ǫflin
accusative	afl	aflit	ǫfl	ǫflin
dative	afli	aflinu	ǫflum	ǫflunum
genitive	afls	aflsins	afla	aflanna

Descendants

• Icelandic: afl; afli; (efla)
• Faroese: alv
• Norwegian: avl (dialectal)
• Old Swedish: afl
  • Swedish: avel, afvel (pre-1906 spelling)
• Danish: avl

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “afl”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive