a-

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-, “not, without”).


auto-

From Ancient Greek αὐτός (autós, “self”).


ambi-

From Latin ambi- (“both”), from ambo (“both”).


mono-

From Ancient Greek μόνος (mónos, “alone, singular”).


anti-

From Ancient Greek ἀντί (antí, “against”).


poly-

From Ancient Greek πολύς (polús, “many, much”), from Proto-Indo-European *polh₁ús (“much, many”). Related to full and fleire.


neo-

From Ancient Greek νέος (néos, “new, young”).


hyper-

From Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér, “over”).


apo-

From the Ancient Greek prefix ἀπό- (apó-), from the preposition ἀπό (apó, “from, away from”), from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂epo (“off, away”). Doublet of av.


ur-

exceedingly, extremely, very (in adjectives)


supra-

Learned borrowing from Latin suprā- (“above, over, beyond”).


foto-

From the combining form φωτω- (phōtō-) of Ancient Greek φῶς (phôs).


sam-

Inherited from Old Norse sam- (“together, con-”). Related to same.


and-

From Old Norse and-, from Proto-Germanic *anda-, *andi-. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“face, front”).


u-

From Old Norse ú- or ó-, English un-, German un-. With the intensifying function probably influenced by ov-.

flaks → uflaks

luck → bad luck

vêr → uvêr
weather → severe weather

tid → utid
time → inconvenient time

used to create an undesired version of the following noun

tal → utal
number → huge number

used to strengthen/intensify the following noun

an abbreviation of certain words beginning with "u"


kon-

From the Latin prefix con-, from cum (“with”).

ko-

when in front of a vowel and the letters gnand h


ut-

Used as an intensifier for certain adjectives.


tidar-

Originally genitive singular form of tid

(poetic, archaic) prefix used for creating some words related to time


middel-

From Old Norse meðal- and Middle Low German middel.


fono-

From Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound”).


frum-

From Old Norse frum-, Proto-Germanic *frumô. Cognate with Old English forma.


ferda-

From ferðar-, from genitive singular of ferð.

prefix used to create nouns pertaining to travels and journeys; e.g. ferdamann m ("traveller")


nevro-

From Ancient Greek νευρο- (neuro-), combining form of νεῦρον (neûron).


spektro-

From Latin spectrum, related to spektrum.


ni-

Doublet of nid. From Old Norse níð, from Proto-Germanic *nīþą.

Used as an intensifier, especially in verbs


ny-

nygresk (“Modern Greek”), nynorsk (“Modern Norwegian”)

(linguistics) Denotes the modern, currently-spoken form of a periodized language.; modern, new

nynazisme (“neo-Nazism”), nyklassisisme (“Neoclassicism”)

(ideology) Denotes a revived or continued form of a movement.; neo-

vaska (“washed”) → nyvaska (“just washed, newly washed”)


tverr-

cross- or cross in compound phrases (that goes across)


riks-

national, relating to the whole country.


erke-

From Old Norse erki-, Old English, and Ancient Greek ἀρχι- (arkhi-).


sær-

special, separate, individual, distinctive


narko-

relating to drugs or narcotics; compare with English narco-.


vass-

From Old Norse vaz, genitive form of vatn.

water, used as the first part of compound words.


hovud-

hovud when used as the first part of a compound word.


øko-

eco-, also short form of økologi and økologisk, økonomi and økonomisk.


augne-

used as the first part of compound words relating to the eye.


hand-

hand when used as the first part of compound words.


undervass-

underwater, adjective as used in compound words.


ste-

Apparently from Low German stef-, and as above.


stam-

used to form derivatives of the noun and verb stamme


tvi-

used to emphasise or add intensity to a word


medie-

form of medium used as the first part of compounds


unn-

From Middle Low German unt-, ont-, ent-.

used to form verbs and nouns; e.g. expressing movement away from


styk-

From Old Norse stjúk- and stýk-, a form of Old Norse stjúp-, from Proto-Germanic *steupa-. Cognates include English step-, Icelandic stjúp and Swedish styv-. Doublet of ste-.


tipp-

tipp- + oldefar (“great-grandfather”) → tippoldefar (“great-great-grandfather”)

tipp- + tipp- + oldemor (“great-grandmother”) → tipp-tipp-oldemor (“great-great-great-grandmother”)

tipp- + tipp- + tipp- + oldemor (“great-grandmother”) → tipp-tipp-tipp-oldemor (“great-great-great-great-grandmother”)

With familial designations, used to denote a removal of one generation: great-


olde-

From the first part of Middle Low German e.g. oldervater, oldevater.

olde- + mor (“mother”) → oldemor (“great-grandmother”)

olde- + born (“children”) → oldeborn (“great-grandchildren”)

olde- + onkel (“uncle”) → oldeonkel (“great-granduncle”)

olde- + grandonkel (“granduncle”) → oldegrandonkel (“great-granduncle”)

With familial relations, used to denote a removal, usually up three generations or back.


nate-

From Old Norse hnata, genitive plural of hnot f (“nut”).

(non-standard since 2012) prefixal of nòt (“nut”)


olavs-

From Old Norse Óláfs, genitive of Óláfr.

Of or pertaining to Olav, especially St Olaf


-olv

From Old Norse -olfr, from Proto-Germanic *wulfaz (“wolf”). Cognate with Faroese ólvur, Icelandic -ólfur. Doublet of ulv (“wolf”).


poinn-

Probably a rebracketing of på and under.

(dialectal, Trøndelag dialect) alternative form of under-


ons-

From Old Norse óðins-, genitive of Óðinn.

ons- + dag (“day”) → onsdag (“Wednesday”)

wednes-, wens- (of or pertaining to the god Odin)