hnífur

Icelandic

Alternative forms

• knífur

Etymology

First attested in this form in the 16th century. From older knífur, from Old Norse knífr, from Proto-Germanic *knībaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈn̥iːvʏr/
• Rhymes: -iːvʏr

Noun

hnífur m (genitive singular hnífs, nominative plural hnífar)

1. knife

Declension

Declension of hnífur (masculine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hnífur	hnífurinn	hnífar	hnífarnir
accusative	hníf	hnífinn	hnífa	hnífana
dative	hníf, hnífi1	hnífnum	hnífum	hnífunum
genitive	hnífs	hnífsins	hnífa	hnífanna

¹Mostly in the context of violent or criminal actions.

Derived terms

• borðhnífur (“table knife”)
• brauðhnífur (“bread knife”)
• dósahnífur (“can opener”)
• dúkahnífur (“Stanley knife”)
• eldhúshnífur (“kitchen knife”)
• hnífasmiður (“cutler”)
• hnífasmíði (“cutlery”)
• hnífsblað (“blade of a knife”)
• hnífsegg (“edge of a knife”)
• hnífsoddur (“point of a knife”)
• hnífstunga (“stab”)
• kökuhnífur (“cake slice”)
• ostahnífur (“cheese knife”)
• pennahnífur (“penknife”)
• rakhnífur (“razor”)
• smjörhnífur (“butter knife”)
• steikarhnífur (“steak knife”)
• vasahnífur (“pocketknife”)

References

• Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989) Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)
• Kristín Bjarnadóttir, editor (2002–2025), “hnífur”, in Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls [The Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies