sval

Inherited from Old Czech sval. By surface analysis, deverbal from svalit.

• IPA^(key): [ˈsval]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -al

sval m inan (relational adjective svalový)

1. muscle

• “sval”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “sval”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “sval”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

From Old Norse svalr (“cool”). Related to Ancient Greek ἥλῐος (hḗlĭos).

• IPA^(key): /svaːl/, [svæːˀl]
• Rhymes: -aːl

sval

1. cool (temperature)
   1. (figurative) reserved, subdued

From Old Norse svalr.

sval (neuter singular svalt, definite singular and plural svale, comparative svalere, indefinite superlative svalest, definite superlative svaleste)

1. cool (temperature)

• svale (verb)

sval

1. imperative of svale

• “sval” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

From Old Norse svalr.

sval (neuter svalt, definite singular and plural svale, comparative svalare, indefinite superlative svalast, definite superlative svalaste)

1. cool (temperature)

• svala (“to cool”)
• Svalbard

• “sval” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

• IPA^(key): [sval]

sval m inan (relational adjective svalový, augmentative svalisko)

1. muscle

• “sval”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

From Old Norse svalr.

• Audio:

  (file)

sval (comparative svalare, superlative svalast)

1. cool, slightly chilly

   Antonyms: ljum, ljummen

   • 2012 November 30, Ruth Peterson, “Svindlande upplevelser till fots i Kalabrien”, in Dagen:

     Högt uppe njuter vi av en sval bris och svindlande utsikt över havet.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (figuratively) low (of interest or the like)

   Intresset för att göra något åt situationen har varit svalt

   Interest in doing something about the situation has been low ("cool")

3. (figuratively) chilly (distant and without warmth)
   • 2016 August 14, Leonidas Aretakis, “Veronica Maggio på Stockholms stadion”, in Dagens Nyheter‎^[1]:

     Den kan vara precis som Veronica Maggios tioårsjubilerande musik: sval, drömsk, nostalgisk.

     It can be just like Veronica Maggio's music on its tenth anniversary: cold, dreamy, nostalgic.

• svalka
• svalna

sval c

1. a section of a refrigerator which is slightly less chilly than the rest, usually used for storing vegetables
   • 2014 January 14, Jenny Thorell, “Detoxa din kyl”, in Aftonbladet Wellness:

     Grönsaker som tidigare ruttnat bort i svalen ska enligt Kathy läggas synligt, gärna prydligt skurna i glas- eller plastlådor.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• sval in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• sval in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• sval in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

• alvs, lavs, slav, vals

• IPA^(key): [sval]

sval (nominative plural svals)

1. swallow (bird)