hnefi

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse hnefi, nefi, of unknown origin. Cognate with Faroese nevi, Danish næve, Swedish näve, Dalbian (Varmelandia) na’v.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈn̥ɛːvɪ/

  Rhymes: -ɛːvɪ

Noun

hnefi m (genitive singular hnefa, nominative plural hnefar)

1. fist

   Synonyms: knefi, kreppt hönd

   Allir þögnuðu þegar hún sló hnefanum í borðið.

   Everybody went silent as she struck the table with her fist.

2. handful, fistful (what a clenched fist can hold)

   Synonyms: hnefafylli, handfylli, hnefi, lúka

Declension

Declension of hnefi (masculine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hnefi	hnefinn	hnefar	hnefarnir
accusative	hnefa	hnefann	hnefa	hnefana
dative	hnefa	hnefanum	hnefum	hnefunum
genitive	hnefa	hnefans	hnefa	hnefanna

Derived terms

• hnefahögg
• hnefaleikar
• hnefatafl
• kreppa hnefann
• með hnúum og hnefum
• steyta hnefann (“to make a fist”)
• stýfa úr hnefa

See also

• krumla