sällsynt

Swedish

Etymology

From the neuter form of Old Swedish sälsyn, siäldsyn, siälsyn, siälffsyn. Compound of two parts. The first part is the same root as in sällan and sällsam, from Proto-Germanic *seldanē. The second part is -synt. Thus, literally, "seldom seen".

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /²sɛlˌsyːnt/
  • Audio (Gotland):(file)

Adjective

sällsynt (comparative mer sällsynt, superlative mest sällsynt)

  1. scarce, rare, uncommon

Usage notes

  • The comparative may be expressed by inflection (see the second declension table), but the superlative is rarely seen in this form, and if so, mainly as predicative.

Declension

Inflection of sällsynt
Indefinite positive comparative superlative1
common singular sällsynt mer sällsynt mest sällsynt
neuter singular sällsynt mer sällsynt mest sällsynt
plural sällsynta mer sällsynta mest sällsynta
masculine plural2 sällsynte mer sällsynta mest sällsynta
Definite positive comparative superlative
masculine singular3 sällsynte mer sällsynte mest sällsynte
all sällsynta mer sällsynta mest sällsynta

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.

Inflection of sällsynt
Indefinite positive comparative superlative1
common singular sällsynt sällsyntare sällsyntast
neuter singular sällsynt sällsyntare sällsyntast
plural sällsynta sällsyntare sällsyntast
masculine plural2 sällsynte sällsyntare sällsyntast
Definite positive comparative superlative
masculine singular3 sällsynte sällsyntare sällsyntaste
all sällsynta sällsyntare sällsyntaste

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.

Synonyms

References

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