fylgifiskur

Icelandic

Etymology

From fylgja (“to follow”) +‎ fiskur (“a fish”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɪlcɪˌfɪskʏr/

Noun

fylgifiskur m (genitive singular fylgifisks, nominative plural fylgifiskar)

1. (idiomatic) something (usually inconvenient) that always accompanies something larger or comes as a result of it, an unwanted result, comes with the territory, part and parcel

   Synonyms: koma í kjölfarið, afleiðing

   Streita er fylgifiskur þess að vinna of mikið. ― Working too much results in stress.

   Hernaðaræfingar eru fylgifiskur þess að vera í NATÓ. ― Military excercises are something that we have to accept as a part of us being members of NATO.

2. (dated, derogatory) follower, adherent, lackey, henchman

   Synonyms: stuðningsmaður, skósveinn, handbendi

   Ráðherra skipaði fylgifiska sína í starfið. ― The minister gave the job to some of his lackeys.

Declension

Declension of fylgifiskur (masculine, based on fiskur)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	fylgifiskur	fylgifiskurinn	fylgifiskar	fylgifiskarnir
accusative	fylgifisk	fylgifiskinn	fylgifiska	fylgifiskana
dative	fylgifiski, fylgifisk	fylgifiskinum, fylgifisknum	fylgifiskum	fylgifiskunum
genitive	fylgifisks	fylgifisksins	fylgifiska	fylgifiskanna

See also

• fylginautur
• fylgdarmaður