siður

See also: síður

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse siðr (“a custom, a habit; conduct, morality, religion”), from Proto-Germanic *siduz, from Proto-Indo-European *swe-dh-.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iː

Noun

siður m (genitive singular siðar, plural siðir)

1. tradition, custom

Declension

Declension of siður (m12)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	siður	siðurin	siðir	siðirnir
accusative	sið	siðin	siðir	siðirnar
dative	siði	siðinum	siðum	siðunum
genitive	siðar	siðarins	siða	siðanna

Derived terms

• sær er siður á landi

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse siðr (“a custom, a habit; conduct, morality, religion”), from Proto-Germanic *siduz, from Proto-Indo-European *swe-dh-. Cognate to Old English sidu (“a custom; a manner; a rite; purity”), Old High German situ (“a custom, a habit”) (whence the German Sitte), Faroese siður (“a tradition, a custom”), Swedish sed, Gothic 𐍃𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍃 (sidus), Ancient Greek ἦθος (êthos), from a Proto-Indo-European stem *swe-dh-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɪːðʏr/
• Rhymes: -ɪːðʏr

Noun

siður m (genitive singular siðar or (in certain expressions) siðs, nominative plural siðir)

1. custom, habit

   Synonym: venja

2. religion

   Synonym: trúarbrögð

Usage notes

• The genitive form siðs is used in set phrases, siðar should otherwise be used.
• The ancient plural accusative form siðu (“customs”) is sometimes used.

Declension

Declension of siður (masculine)

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	siður	siðurinn	siðir	siðirnir
accusative	sið	siðinn	siði, siðu1	siðina
dative	sið	siðnum, siðinum	siðum	siðunum
genitive	siðar, siðs2	siðarins, siðsins2	siða	siðanna

¹Archaic or literary.
²In certain expressions.

Derived terms

• vera til siðs, til siðs (“to be customary”)
• hafa til siðs
• í fornum sið (“in heathen times”)
• siðfesta
• sinn er siður í landi hverju (“when in Rome do as the Romans do”)

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), “siður”, in Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls [The Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies
• Mörður Árnason (2019) Íslensk orðabók, 5th edition, Reykjavík: Forlagið
• “siður” in the Dictionary of Modern Icelandic (in Icelandic) and ISLEX (in the Nordic languages)
• “siður”, in Ritmálssafn Orðabókar Háskólans [The Written Collection of the Lexicological Institute] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, (Can we date this quote?)