gjarn

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse gjarn, from Proto-Germanic *gernaz.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ca(r)t⁽ʰ⁾n/
  • Rhymes: -artn
  • Rhymes: -atn

Adjective

gjarn (comparative gjarnari, superlative gjarnastur)

  1. willing, eager, keen

Declension

Positive forms of gjarn
strong declension
(indefinite)
singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarn gjörn gjarnt
accusative gjarnan gjarna
dative gjörnum gjarnri gjörnu
genitive gjarns gjarnrar gjarns
plural masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarnir gjarnar gjörn
accusative gjarna
dative gjörnum
genitive gjarnra
weak declension
(definite)
singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarni gjarna gjarna
acc/dat/gen gjarna gjörnu
plural (all-case) gjörnu
Comparative forms of gjarn
weak declension
(definite)
masculine feminine neuter
singular (all-case) gjarnari gjarnari gjarnara
plural (all-case) gjarnari
Superlative forms of gjarn
strong declension
(indefinite)
singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarnastur gjörnust gjarnast
accusative gjarnastan gjarnasta
dative gjörnustum gjarnastri gjörnustu
genitive gjarnasts gjarnastrar gjarnasts
plural masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarnastir gjarnastar gjörnust
accusative gjarnasta
dative gjörnustum
genitive gjarnastra
weak declension
(definite)
singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarnasti gjarnasta gjarnasta
acc/dat/gen gjarnasta gjörnustu
plural (all-case) gjörnustu

Further reading

Old Norse

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *gernaz. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- (to yearn).

Adjective

gjarn

  1. eager, desirous
    • 9th c., Þjóðólfr of Hvinir, Ynglingatal, verse 5:
      [] þás árgjǫrn / Jóta dolgi
      Svía kind / of sóa skyldi.
      [] Then, when the harvest-eager / kin of the Swedes
      had to sacrifice / the enemy of the Jutes.
  2. willing to follow one [with dative]

Declension

Strong declension of gjarn
singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarn gjǫrn gjarnt
accusative gjarnan gjarna gjarnt
dative gjǫrnum gjarni gjǫrnu
genitive gjarns gjarnar gjarns
plural masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarnir gjarnar gjǫrn
accusative gjarna gjarnar gjǫrn
dative gjǫrnum gjǫrnum gjǫrnum
genitive gjarna gjarna gjarna
Weak declension of gjarn
singular masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjarni gjarna gjarna
accusative gjarna gjǫrnu gjarna
dative gjarna gjǫrnu gjarna
genitive gjarna gjǫrnu gjarna
plural masculine feminine neuter
nominative gjǫrnu gjǫrnu gjǫrnu
accusative gjǫrnu gjǫrnu gjǫrnu
dative gjǫrnum gjǫrnum gjǫrnum
genitive gjǫrnu gjǫrnu gjǫrnu

Derived terms

  • árgjarn (eager for harvests)
  • fremðargjarn (eager for fame)
  • lofgjarn (eager for praise)
  • tírargjarn (eager for glory)

Descendants

  • Icelandic: gjarn
  • Faroese: gjarnur
  • Old Swedish: giærn

Further reading

  • Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “gjarn”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive