hyski

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse hyski (“household, family”) (also hýski), from Proto-Germanic *hīwiskiją (“household”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɪscɪ/
• Rhymes: -ɪscɪ

Noun

hyski n (genitive singular hyskis, no plural)

1. rabble, beggars, white trash, low people

   Synonyms: illþýði, ómerkilegt fólk, skríll, pakk

2. (dated) household, family

   Synonyms: fjölskylda, heimilisfólk

Usage notes

• Once used to refer collectively to parents, children and their servants—an old term for a family—almost synonymous with the contemporary term fjölskylda (“family”).

Declension

Declension of hyski (sg-only neuter)

	singular
	indefinite	definite
nominative	hyski	hyskið
accusative	hyski	hyskið
dative	hyski	hyskinu
genitive	hyskis	hyskisins

Derived terms

Derived terms

• aðskotahyski
• alþýðuhyski
• embættishyski
• fasistahyski
• forréttindahyski
• galdrahyski
• geithyski
• glæpahyski
• hirðhyski
• lygahyski
• sjúklingahyski
• tepruhyski
• tröllahyski
• þjófahyski

Related terms

• hús
• hjú

Further reading

• A deliberation on the word "hyski" on the Stofnun Árna Magnússonar í íslenskum fræðum ("Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies")