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)

1. virgin (a person who has never had sexual intercourse)
2. (dated) maiden (young unmarried women)

   Synonym: frøken

3. 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

Declension of jomfru

Derived terms

• bagerjomfru
• brolæggerjomfru
• gammeljomfru
• jomfrubur
• jomfruelig
• jomfrufødsel
• jomfruhinde
• jomfruhummer
• jomfrunalsk
• jomfruolivenolie
• jomfrurejse
• jomfrutale
• kahytsjomfru
• kammerjomfru
• 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)

1. a virgin (girl or woman who has never had sexual intercourse)
2. 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
3. (gammel jomfru) an old maid (derogatory) or spinster (older woman who has never married)
4. a Virgo (someone born under that star sign)

Derived terms

• jomfruelig
• jomfruhinne
• jomfru Maria
• jomfrutur

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)

1. a virgin (as above)
2. (gammal / gamal jomfru) an old maid or spinster (as above)
3. a Virgo (as above)

Derived terms

• jomfruhinne
• jomfru Maria
• jomfrutur

References

• “jomfru” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.