jomfru
Danish
Etymology
From Middle Low German junkvrūwe (“maiden”), a compound of junk (“young”) + vrūwe (“lady”), compare German Jungfrau.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /jɔmfru/, [ˈjʌmfʁ̥u], [ˈjʌmfʁ̥o]
Noun
jomfru c (singular definite jomfruen, plural indefinite jomfruer)
- virgin (a person who has never had sexual intercourse)
- (historical) maiden (young unmarried women)
- Synonym: frøken
- Virgo (someone with a Virgo star sign)
Declension
| common gender |
singular | plural | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | |
| nominative | jomfru | jomfruen | jomfruer | jomfruerne |
| genitive | jomfrus | jomfruens | jomfruers | jomfruernes |
Derived terms
- bagerjomfru
- brolæggerjomfru
- gammeljomfru
- husjomfru
- jomfru i det grønne
- Jomfru Marias sengehalm
- jomfrubur
- jomfrudom
- jomfruelig
- jomfruelighed
- jomfrufødsel
- jomfruhinde
- jomfruhummer
- jomfruhummerhale
- jomfrukloster
- jomfrunalsk
- jomfruolie
- jomfruolivenolie
- jomfrurejse
- jomfrutale
- kahytsjomfru
- kammerjomfru
- kold jomfru
- nøgen jomfru
- skønjomfru
- smørrebrødsjomfru
References
- “jomfru” in Den Danske Ordbog
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From Middle Low German junkvruwe, and Old Norse jungfrú, jumfrú.
Noun
jomfru f or m (definite singular jomfrua or jomfruen, indefinite plural jomfruer, definite plural jomfruene)
- a virgin (girl or woman who has never had sexual intercourse)
- a historical form of address for an unmarried daughter of the bourgeoisie, used from the early modern period until the 19th century, contrasted with the higher style of frøken
- (gammel jomfru) an old maid (derogatory) or spinster (older woman who has never married)
- a Virgo (someone born under that star sign)
Derived terms
References
- “jomfru” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Alternative forms
- jamfrjuge (dialectal)
Etymology
From Middle Low German junkvruwe, and Old Norse jungfrú, jumfrú.
Noun
jomfru f (definite singular jomfrua, indefinite plural jomfruer, definite plural jomfruene)
Derived terms
References
- “jomfru” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.