Nordic

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Relating to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, or to their peoples, languages and cultures.

   Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: Nordic countries, Nordic design.

   Patterns

   • Nordic countries
   • Nordic design

   The Nordic countries rank high in many happiness surveys.

   She loves the clean lines of Nordic furniture.

   A Nordic council meets every year to discuss shared policy.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounsport

   Relating to the sport of skiing cross-country or jumping from a ski jump, as opposed to downhill racing.

   Grammar: Appears in sport names: Nordic skiing, Nordic combined.

   Patterns

   • Nordic skiing

   Nordic skiing is popular in Finland and Norway.

   He took up Nordic walking to improve his fitness.

   The Nordic combined event mixes ski jumping and a race.

Common combinations

Nordic countries

The Nordic countries share close political ties.

Nordic design

Nordic design favors simple shapes and light wood.

Nordic skiing

Nordic skiing uses narrow skis and free heels.

Nordic walking

Nordic walking uses poles to work the arms as well as the legs.

Nordic diet

A Nordic diet includes fish, rye bread and berries.

Synonyms and how they differ

Scandinavian

Is narrower and strictly means Denmark, Norway and Sweden, so Nordic is the safer word when Finland or Iceland are included.

northern European

Is a vaguer geographical description that can also include the Baltic states and Britain.

cross-country

Describes a skiing style, while Nordic is the wider, more formal name for that group of sports.

Opposites

Word family

Nordics noun

people from the Nordic countries

Scandinavia proper noun

a region of northern Europe

Commonly confused: Nordic or Scandinavian?

Practice

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