Words With Scandinavian Origins

Take the Quiz

55 Words

1 alcoholism A chronic condition caused by compulsive drinking, leading to physical dependence and damage to health and dai...
2 Anders A male given name and surname from Scandinavian languages, equivalent to English Andrew.
3 Andersen A Danish and Norwegian surname derived as a patronymic, borne by fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen.
4 Andersson A Swedish surname derived as a patronymic.
5 Annika A female given name, a Swedish diminutive of Anna.
6 axel A figure-skating jump in which the skater takes off from the outside edge of one skate, rotates one and a half...
7 Backstrom A Swedish surname.
8 bangs Bang's disease, a bacterial infection (brucellosis) that mainly affects cattle and can spread to humans.
9 bergen A large framed rucksack, historically used by the military, worn on the back for carrying heavy gear.
10 Bering To surround or fasten something with a ring-shaped band, such as a shackle.
11 Bluetooth A short-range wireless technology used to connect devices like phones, headphones, and speakers.
12 bohr (physics, informal) Short for "Bohr radius," the typical distance between a hydrogen atom's nucleus and its el...
13 Carlson A surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of Carl."
14 Celsius Relating to the temperature scale where water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees.
15 Clint A flat block of exposed limestone between the cracks (grikes) of a limestone pavement.
16 cosy Warm, snug, and comfortable.
17 Dahl A surname of Scandinavian origin.
18 Erickson A surname meaning "son of Eric," anglicized from Scandinavian forms such as Eriksen or Eriksson.
19 Ericsson A Swedish surname meaning "son of Eric," also the name of a major Swedish telecommunications company.
20 fil A traditional Nordic soured-milk product similar to yogurt, made using a different bacterial culture that give...
21 Gothenburg A major port city on the west coast of Sweden, the country's second largest.
22 Iverson A surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Iver."
23 Karlsson A Swedish surname meaning "son of Karl."
24 Kierkegaard A Danish surname, best known as that of the philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.
25 krill Tiny shrimp-like sea creatures that drift in huge swarms and form a key part of the ocean food chain.
26 lek The official currency of Albania.
27 Lindberg A surname of Swedish origin.
28 Lindstrom A surname of Swedish origin.
29 Lundgren A Swedish surname.
30 moped A small motorbike with pedals, built to travel at low speeds.
31 Morten A male given name of Danish or Norwegian origin, also used as a surname.
32 Mortensen A surname of Danish or Norwegian origin.
33 Nielsen A Danish or Norwegian surname meaning "son of Niels".
34 nis In Scandinavian folklore, a small household spirit or hobgoblin said to live on a farm.
35 Nobel Short for the Nobel Prize, one of the annual international awards for outstanding work in fields such as physi...
36 nudge To push someone or something gently, often to get their attention.
37 Nyborg A city and municipality in central Denmark, on the island of Funen.
38 Olsen A Scandinavian patronymic surname meaning "son of Ole."
39 Olson A Swedish patronymic surname meaning "son of Olaf," common among Scandinavian-Americans.
40 Olsson A Swedish surname meaning "son of Olaf."
41 Paulson A surname meaning "son of Paul," found across several languages in similar forms.
42 rutabaga A root vegetable, also called a swede, with yellowish flesh and a mild, slightly sweet flavor.
43 Saab A car or aircraft made by the Swedish manufacturer Saab.
44 scuffle A brief, disorganized fight or struggle at close quarters.
45 sei A large baleen whale found in oceans worldwide, related to the fin whale.
46 shriek A sharp, high-pitched scream or cry.
47 slump To sit or stand with a drooping, heavy posture, often from tiredness.
48 smash The loud sound of a violent collision or impact.
49 smorgasbord A buffet-style spread of many different dishes laid out for guests to help themselves.
50 squabble A minor, petty argument.
51 Sven A male given name of Swedish origin.
52 Svensson A Swedish surname meaning "son of Sven."
53 swede A large, round root vegetable with yellowish flesh, related to the turnip.
54 Thumbelina The main character of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale about a girl no bigger than a thumb.
55 tungsten A hard, dense metallic element (symbol W) with an extremely high melting point.