kvav

See also: kväv

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish kvaver, from the same root as kväva. Original sense was "suffocating".

Adjective

kvav (comparative kvavare, superlative kvavast)

1. that feels low in oxygen and oppressive (and usually warm, of air, a room, weather, or the like); stuffy, sultry, oppressive, "heavy", etc.

   Spelningen var i en liten kvav lokal i en källare

   The gig was in a small, stuffy venue in a basement

   Det är varmt och kvavt ute

   It is hot and sultry outside

   kvavt väder

   sultry weather

   tryckande, kvav luft och åska i fjärran

   oppressive, sultry air and thunder in the distance

2. (figuratively) oppressive

   en kvav atmosfär

   an oppressive atmosphere

Declension

Inflection of kvav

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	kvav	kvavare	kvavast
neuter singular	kvavt	kvavare	kvavast
plural	kvava	kvavare	kvavast
masculine plural2	kvave	kvavare	kvavast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	kvave	kvavare	kvavaste
all	kvava	kvavare	kvavaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

See also

• instängd

Noun

kvav

1. Only used in gå i kvav

References

• kvav in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• kvav in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• kvav in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• kvav in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)
• qvaver in Knut Fredrik Söderwall, Ordbok öfver svenska medeltids-språket, del 2:1: M-T