Icelandic
Place-Names
 
 
 
Most Icelandic place-names, both of towns, villages, and natural features in the landscape, mean something. This can help visitors to Iceland identify and understand them. For instance, word containing the compounds hver, laug, and reyk(ja) indicate the proximity of hot springs. It should be noted that words or compounds in declension sometimes appear rather different from the nominative. The last part of a place name is usually the name of the geographical feature, e.g. Þingvellir (vellir is the plural of völlur = plain), Þjórsá (á = river), Akrafjall (fjall = mountain), Selfoss (foss = falls).
 
 

 

alda = hilly ridge  (plural: öldur) 
á = river 
ás = small hill, ridge 
 
bær = farm, township
bakki = river bank 
bjarg = cliff, rock 
borg = city, crag 
botn = bottom, head of valley or fjord 
 brekka = slope 
brú = bridge 
bunga = rounded peak 
dalur = valley
djúp = long inlet, deep 
drag = watercourse (plural: drög) 
drangur = isolated column of rock 
dyngja = dome 
eiði = isthmus
ey = island (plural: eyjar) 
 eyri = sandspit, delta 
fell = mountain, hill
fjall = mountain (plural: fjöll) 
fjörður = fjord, broad inlet, valley (plural: firðir) 
fljót = large river
foss = waterfall
gígur = crater
gil = gorge, ravine
gjá = chasm, fissure 
grunn = shoal, shallow
háls = ridge, isthmus 
hamar = crag 
heiði = heath, moor 
hlíð = mountain side 
hnjúkur/hnúkur = peak 
höfði = promontory
höfn = harbour 
hóll = rounded hill (plural: hólar) 
hólmur = islet 
holt = stony hill 
hraun = lava field, lava 
hryggur = ridge 
hver = hot spring 
hvoll = hill 
jökull = glacier
jökulsá = glacial river 
kirkja = church
klettur = rock, cliff 
kot = small farm
 kvísl = river, branch of river 
lækur = brook 
laug = warm spring, bath
lón = lagoon 
melur = gravel, barren plain 
múli = headland, spur 
mynni = mouth 
mýri = swamp 
nes = headland, spur 
núpur = spur, peak
oddi = point, tounge of land 
öræfi = desert 
ós = estuary 
reykur = smoke steam
rif = reef 
sandur = sand(s)
skagi = peninsula 
skarð = mountain pass 
sker = skerry
skógur = wood, shrubland 
 slétta = plain
staður = place, parsonage (plural: staðir) 
stapi = bluff, crag 
súlur = (mountain) peaks 
tangi = narrow peninsula 
tindur = summit 
tjörn = small lake, pond 
tunga = tounge (of land) 
vað = ford (plural: vöð)
varða = cairn (plural: vörður) 
vatn = lake, water (plural: vötn) 
vegur = road, track 
ver = grassy spot 
vík = inlet, small bay 
vogur = inlet, creek 
 völlur = plain (plural: vellir)  
 
 
 
 
 

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