See fanken on Wiktionary
{
"etymology_links": [
[
"fanden",
"fanden#Norwegian_Bokmål"
],
[
"-ken",
"-ken#Low_German"
],
[
"-eken",
"-eken#Middle_Low_German"
],
[
"*-ukīn",
"Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ukīn"
],
[
"fanden",
"fanden#Norwegian_Bokmål"
],
[
"fendinn",
"fendinn#Old_Norse"
],
[
"fandiand",
"fandiand#Old_Frisian"
],
[
"fandia",
"fandia#Old_Frisian"
],
[
"*fandōną",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/fandōną"
],
[
"*pent-",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pent-"
],
[
"fanken",
"fanken#Norwegian_Nynorsk"
],
[
"fanken",
"fanken#Swedish"
]
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "nb",
"2": "non",
"3": "fendinn",
"t": "the Devil"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fendinn (“the Devil”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nn",
"2": "fanken"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian Nynorsk fanken",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fanken",
"t": "the devil; mild swear word"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fanken (“the devil; mild swear word”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "A euphemistic alteration of fanden (“the Devil; damn”), also analyzable from fan with a Low German diminutive suffix corresponding to -ken (“diminutive suffix”), literally “little devil”. The diminutive suffix continues Middle Low German -eken (“diminutive suffix”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *-ukīn (“diminutive suffix”).\nThe base fanden is ultimately from Old Norse fendinn (“the Devil”). The Old Norse word is probably from Old Frisian fandiand (“tempter”), the present participle of fandia (“to tempt”), from Proto-Germanic *fandōną (“to seek, search for, examine”), ultimately related to the Proto-Indo-European root *pent- (“to pass; path”).\nCompare Norwegian Nynorsk fanken and Swedish fanken (“the devil; mild swear word”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "fankeren",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "nb",
"2": "noun",
"3": "indeclinable",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "fanken m (indeclinable)",
"name": "head"
}
],
"hyphenations": [
{
"parts": [
"fan",
"ken"
]
}
],
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"lang_code": "nb",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Norwegian Bokmål minced oaths",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "49 51",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 2 entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "54 46",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"english": "It sure as hell isn't easy.",
"text": "Det er fanken ikke lett.",
"translation": "It sure as hell isn't easy.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"english": "damn it; hell no; an emphatic reaction or rejection",
"text": "fanken heller",
"translation": "damn it; hell no; an emphatic reaction or rejection"
},
{
"english": "damn it; an exclamation of disgust, annoyance, surprise or similar emotion",
"text": "fy for fanken",
"translation": "damn it; an exclamation of disgust, annoyance, surprise or similar emotion"
},
{
"english": "like hell; very, extremely",
"text": "som fanken",
"translation": "like hell; very, extremely"
},
{
"english": "there is damn well no gnome here on the farm",
"ref": "1879, P. Chr. Asbjørnsen, Norske Folke- og Huldre-Eventyr, page 270:",
"text": "det er fanken ingen nisse her i gaarden",
"translation": "there is damn well no gnome here on the farm",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "where the devil had he gone?",
"ref": "1901, Hans E. Kinck, Vaarnætter, page 70:",
"text": "hvor fankeren var han blit av",
"translation": "where the devil had he gone?",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "damn it, it's Sunday",
"ref": "1918, Gabriel Scott, Kilden, page 91:",
"text": "fanken at det er søndag",
"translation": "damn it, it's Sunday",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "what a damned woman she is!",
"ref": "1923, Hans Aanrud, Fortællinger, volume III, page 130:",
"text": "det er da fanken til kjærring ogsaa!",
"translation": "what a damned woman she is!",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "so, by the devil, Jens Nybø had seen him",
"ref": "1925, Hans E. Kinck, Huldren, page 139:",
"text": "ja saa fankelen hadde Jens Nybø set ham",
"translation": "so, by the devil, Jens Nybø had seen him",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "damn it!",
"ref": "1925, Vilhelm Krag, Baldevin, page 39:",
"text": "fy for fanken!",
"translation": "damn it!",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "I stood with my eyes closed and counted like hell to forty while the others ran and hid",
"ref": "2000, Karin Sveen, Klassereise, page 121:",
"text": "[jeg] stod med lukkede øyne og telte fort som fanken til førti mens de andre løp og gjemte seg",
"translation": "I stood with my eyes closed and counted like hell to forty while the others ran and hid",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"the devil, hell, damn; a mild swear word used as an exclamation, oath or intensifier, generally less offensive than fanden or faen"
],
"id": "en-fanken-nb-noun-kXmJ8GqC",
"links": [
[
"minced oath",
"minced oath"
],
[
"devil",
"devil"
],
[
"hell",
"hell"
],
[
"damn",
"damn"
],
[
"fanden",
"fanden#Norwegian_Bokmål"
],
[
"faen",
"faen#Norwegian_Bokmål"
]
],
"qualifier": "minced oath",
"raw_glosses": [
"(minced oath) the devil, hell, damn; a mild swear word used as an exclamation, oath or intensifier, generally less offensive than fanden or faen"
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "pokker"
}
],
"tags": [
"indeclinable",
"masculine"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Norwegian Bokmål euphemisms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "49 51",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 2 entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "54 46",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"english": "May the Devil take me if I'm lying.",
"text": "Fanken ta meg om jeg lyver.",
"translation": "May the Devil take me if I'm lying.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"english": "those devil's flies give one neither rest nor peace",
"ref": "1897, Elisabeth Cathrine Welhaven, Fortællinger fra det gamle Bergen, page 17:",
"text": "de fankers fluer giver en da hverken rist eller ro",
"translation": "those devil's flies give one neither rest nor peace",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "the old fellow in the red cap who used to be up on Sundays before the Devil had got his shoes on",
"ref": "1930, Regine Normann, Det gråner mot høst, page 59:",
"text": "den gamle kallen i rød topplue som brukte være oppe om søndagene før fanken fikk skoene på",
"translation": "the old fellow in the red cap who used to be up on Sundays before the Devil had got his shoes on",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "I'll have to endure it here until the Devil takes me",
"ref": "1981, Ingvar Ambjørnsen, 23-salen, page 32:",
"text": "jeg får holde ut her til fanken tar meg",
"translation": "I'll have to endure it here until the Devil takes me",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"the Devil; the devil as a supernatural being"
],
"id": "en-fanken-nb-noun-dNc7xzVp",
"links": [
[
"Devil",
"Devil"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(euphemistic) the Devil; the devil as a supernatural being"
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "fanden"
},
{
"word": "faen"
},
{
"word": "djevelen"
}
],
"tags": [
"euphemistic",
"indeclinable",
"masculine"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/²faŋ.kən/"
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfâŋ.kən]"
},
{
"ipa": "/²faŋ.kn̩/"
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfâŋ.kn̩]"
},
{
"rhymes": "-aŋkən"
},
{
"rhymes": "-aŋkn̩"
}
],
"word": "fanken"
}
{
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "nouns",
"3": "",
"4": "",
"5": "",
"g": "c",
"g2": "",
"g3": "",
"g4": "",
"head": "",
"sort": ""
},
"expansion": "fanken c",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "c"
},
"expansion": "fanken c",
"name": "sv-noun"
}
],
"lang": "Swedish",
"lang_code": "sv",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 2 entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Swedish entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Swedish euphemisms",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"english": "Drat!",
"text": "Fanken också!",
"translation": "Drat!",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"the devil (in certain expletives)"
],
"id": "en-fanken-sv-noun-AmUvBgSr",
"links": [
[
"devil",
"devil"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(euphemistic, chiefly humorous) the devil (in certain expletives)"
],
"related": [
{
"english": "the devil",
"translation": "the devil",
"word": "fan"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "fasen"
},
{
"word": "fasiken"
}
],
"tags": [
"common-gender",
"euphemistic",
"humorous"
]
}
],
"word": "fanken"
}
{
"categories": [
"Pages with 2 entries",
"Pages with entries"
],
"etymology_links": [
[
"fanden",
"fanden#Norwegian_Bokmål"
],
[
"-ken",
"-ken#Low_German"
],
[
"-eken",
"-eken#Middle_Low_German"
],
[
"*-ukīn",
"Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ukīn"
],
[
"fanden",
"fanden#Norwegian_Bokmål"
],
[
"fendinn",
"fendinn#Old_Norse"
],
[
"fandiand",
"fandiand#Old_Frisian"
],
[
"fandia",
"fandia#Old_Frisian"
],
[
"*fandōną",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/fandōną"
],
[
"*pent-",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/pent-"
],
[
"fanken",
"fanken#Norwegian_Nynorsk"
],
[
"fanken",
"fanken#Swedish"
]
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "nb",
"2": "non",
"3": "fendinn",
"t": "the Devil"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse fendinn (“the Devil”)",
"name": "der"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "nn",
"2": "fanken"
},
"expansion": "Norwegian Nynorsk fanken",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "fanken",
"t": "the devil; mild swear word"
},
"expansion": "Swedish fanken (“the devil; mild swear word”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "A euphemistic alteration of fanden (“the Devil; damn”), also analyzable from fan with a Low German diminutive suffix corresponding to -ken (“diminutive suffix”), literally “little devil”. The diminutive suffix continues Middle Low German -eken (“diminutive suffix”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *-ukīn (“diminutive suffix”).\nThe base fanden is ultimately from Old Norse fendinn (“the Devil”). The Old Norse word is probably from Old Frisian fandiand (“tempter”), the present participle of fandia (“to tempt”), from Proto-Germanic *fandōną (“to seek, search for, examine”), ultimately related to the Proto-Indo-European root *pent- (“to pass; path”).\nCompare Norwegian Nynorsk fanken and Swedish fanken (“the devil; mild swear word”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "fankeren",
"tags": [
"alternative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "nb",
"2": "noun",
"3": "indeclinable",
"g": "m"
},
"expansion": "fanken m (indeclinable)",
"name": "head"
}
],
"hyphenations": [
{
"parts": [
"fan",
"ken"
]
}
],
"lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
"lang_code": "nb",
"pos": "noun",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"Norwegian Bokmål minced oaths",
"Norwegian Bokmål terms with quotations",
"Norwegian Bokmål terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"english": "It sure as hell isn't easy.",
"text": "Det er fanken ikke lett.",
"translation": "It sure as hell isn't easy.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"english": "damn it; hell no; an emphatic reaction or rejection",
"text": "fanken heller",
"translation": "damn it; hell no; an emphatic reaction or rejection"
},
{
"english": "damn it; an exclamation of disgust, annoyance, surprise or similar emotion",
"text": "fy for fanken",
"translation": "damn it; an exclamation of disgust, annoyance, surprise or similar emotion"
},
{
"english": "like hell; very, extremely",
"text": "som fanken",
"translation": "like hell; very, extremely"
},
{
"english": "there is damn well no gnome here on the farm",
"ref": "1879, P. Chr. Asbjørnsen, Norske Folke- og Huldre-Eventyr, page 270:",
"text": "det er fanken ingen nisse her i gaarden",
"translation": "there is damn well no gnome here on the farm",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "where the devil had he gone?",
"ref": "1901, Hans E. Kinck, Vaarnætter, page 70:",
"text": "hvor fankeren var han blit av",
"translation": "where the devil had he gone?",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "damn it, it's Sunday",
"ref": "1918, Gabriel Scott, Kilden, page 91:",
"text": "fanken at det er søndag",
"translation": "damn it, it's Sunday",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "what a damned woman she is!",
"ref": "1923, Hans Aanrud, Fortællinger, volume III, page 130:",
"text": "det er da fanken til kjærring ogsaa!",
"translation": "what a damned woman she is!",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "so, by the devil, Jens Nybø had seen him",
"ref": "1925, Hans E. Kinck, Huldren, page 139:",
"text": "ja saa fankelen hadde Jens Nybø set ham",
"translation": "so, by the devil, Jens Nybø had seen him",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "damn it!",
"ref": "1925, Vilhelm Krag, Baldevin, page 39:",
"text": "fy for fanken!",
"translation": "damn it!",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "I stood with my eyes closed and counted like hell to forty while the others ran and hid",
"ref": "2000, Karin Sveen, Klassereise, page 121:",
"text": "[jeg] stod med lukkede øyne og telte fort som fanken til førti mens de andre løp og gjemte seg",
"translation": "I stood with my eyes closed and counted like hell to forty while the others ran and hid",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"the devil, hell, damn; a mild swear word used as an exclamation, oath or intensifier, generally less offensive than fanden or faen"
],
"links": [
[
"minced oath",
"minced oath"
],
[
"devil",
"devil"
],
[
"hell",
"hell"
],
[
"damn",
"damn"
],
[
"fanden",
"fanden#Norwegian_Bokmål"
],
[
"faen",
"faen#Norwegian_Bokmål"
]
],
"qualifier": "minced oath",
"raw_glosses": [
"(minced oath) the devil, hell, damn; a mild swear word used as an exclamation, oath or intensifier, generally less offensive than fanden or faen"
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "pokker"
}
],
"tags": [
"indeclinable",
"masculine"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"Norwegian Bokmål euphemisms",
"Norwegian Bokmål terms with quotations",
"Norwegian Bokmål terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"english": "May the Devil take me if I'm lying.",
"text": "Fanken ta meg om jeg lyver.",
"translation": "May the Devil take me if I'm lying.",
"type": "example"
},
{
"english": "those devil's flies give one neither rest nor peace",
"ref": "1897, Elisabeth Cathrine Welhaven, Fortællinger fra det gamle Bergen, page 17:",
"text": "de fankers fluer giver en da hverken rist eller ro",
"translation": "those devil's flies give one neither rest nor peace",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "the old fellow in the red cap who used to be up on Sundays before the Devil had got his shoes on",
"ref": "1930, Regine Normann, Det gråner mot høst, page 59:",
"text": "den gamle kallen i rød topplue som brukte være oppe om søndagene før fanken fikk skoene på",
"translation": "the old fellow in the red cap who used to be up on Sundays before the Devil had got his shoes on",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"english": "I'll have to endure it here until the Devil takes me",
"ref": "1981, Ingvar Ambjørnsen, 23-salen, page 32:",
"text": "jeg får holde ut her til fanken tar meg",
"translation": "I'll have to endure it here until the Devil takes me",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"the Devil; the devil as a supernatural being"
],
"links": [
[
"Devil",
"Devil"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(euphemistic) the Devil; the devil as a supernatural being"
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "fanden"
},
{
"word": "faen"
},
{
"word": "djevelen"
}
],
"tags": [
"euphemistic",
"indeclinable",
"masculine"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/²faŋ.kən/"
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfâŋ.kən]"
},
{
"ipa": "/²faŋ.kn̩/"
},
{
"ipa": "[ˈfâŋ.kn̩]"
},
{
"rhymes": "-aŋkən"
},
{
"rhymes": "-aŋkn̩"
}
],
"word": "fanken"
}
{
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "nouns",
"3": "",
"4": "",
"5": "",
"g": "c",
"g2": "",
"g3": "",
"g4": "",
"head": "",
"sort": ""
},
"expansion": "fanken c",
"name": "head"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "c"
},
"expansion": "fanken c",
"name": "sv-noun"
}
],
"lang": "Swedish",
"lang_code": "sv",
"pos": "noun",
"related": [
{
"english": "the devil",
"translation": "the devil",
"word": "fan"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"Pages with 2 entries",
"Pages with entries",
"Swedish common-gender nouns",
"Swedish entries with incorrect language header",
"Swedish euphemisms",
"Swedish humorous terms",
"Swedish lemmas",
"Swedish nouns",
"Swedish terms with usage examples"
],
"examples": [
{
"english": "Drat!",
"text": "Fanken också!",
"translation": "Drat!",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"the devil (in certain expletives)"
],
"links": [
[
"devil",
"devil"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(euphemistic, chiefly humorous) the devil (in certain expletives)"
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "fasen"
},
{
"word": "fasiken"
}
],
"tags": [
"common-gender",
"euphemistic",
"humorous"
]
}
],
"word": "fanken"
}
Download raw JSONL data for fanken meaning in All languages combined (7.8kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-10-30 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-10-01 using wiktextract (19f9a30 and 6f96ddf). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.