flókinn

Icelandic

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈflouːcɪn/

Etymology 1

From Old Norse flókinn. Past participle of a strong verb otherwise unattested in North Germanic: Proto-Germanic *flōkaną (“to beat”).^[1] The sense “matted, tangled” is derived from the practice of felt-making, one method of which was beating woolen cloth with a club, and from this is derived the sense “complicated, hard”.

Adjective

flókinn (comparative flóknari, superlative flóknastur)

complicated, hard
Synonyms: margbrotinn, snúinn, torleystur

Antonym: einfaldur (“simple”)

Gallinn við kerfið er að það er gríðarlega flókið. ― The problem with the system is that it is extremely complicated.
matted, tangled
Synonym: flæktur

Antonyms: greiddur, kembdur (“combed”)

Með hárið svo flókið að hún nennir ekki einu sinni að ná burstanum úr flókunum frá síðustu tilraun og lætur hann bara hanga í.
With hair so tangled she can't even be bothered to get the brush out of the snags from the last attempt, and just leaves it hanging in.

Hárið mitt er jafn flókið og gatnakerfi stórborga.
My hair is as tangled as the street network of a big city.
- 1988, Guðlaug Richter, Jóra og ég, Reykjavík: Mál og menning:
  Það var verra með hárið sem stóð grútskítugt og flókið út í allar áttir og hékk fyrir andlitinu.
  It was worse with the hair, which stood out grimy and tangled in all directions, hanging in front of her face.

Declension

Positive forms of *flókinn*
strong declension (indefinite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	flókinn	flókin	flókið
	accusative	flókinn	flókna	flókið
	dative	flóknum	flókinni	flóknu
	genitive	flókins	flókinnar	flókins

	plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	flóknir	flóknar	flókin
	accusative	flókna	flóknar	flókin
	dative	flóknum
	genitive	flókinna

weak declension (definite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	flókni	flókna	flókna
	acc/dat/gen	flókna	flóknu	flókna
	plural (all-case)	flóknu

Comparative forms of *flókinn*
weak declension (definite)		masculine	feminine	neuter
	singular (all-case)	flóknari	flóknari	flóknara
	plural (all-case)	flóknari

Superlative forms of *flókinn*
strong declension (indefinite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	flóknastur	flóknust	flóknast
	accusative	flóknastan	flóknasta	flóknast
	dative	flóknustum	flóknastri	flóknustu
	genitive	flóknasts	flóknastrar	flóknasts

	plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	flóknastir	flóknastar	flóknust
	accusative	flóknasta	flóknastar	flóknust
	dative	flóknustum
	genitive	flóknastra

weak declension (definite)	singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
	nominative	flóknasti	flóknasta	flóknasta
	acc/dat/gen	flóknasta	flóknustu	flóknasta
	plural (all-case)	flóknustu

Derived terms

allflókinn (“quite complicated”)
jafnflókinn (“equally complicated”)
margflókinn (“very complicated”)
misflókinn (“of varying complexity”)

Related terms

flóki m (“tangle; felt”)
flókna (“to become tangled; to become confused”, intransitive verb)
flækja (“to entangle; complicate”, transitive verb)
flækja f (“tangle; complication”)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

flókinn

definite nominative singular of flóki

References

^ Ásgeir Blöndal Magnússon (1989), “flókinn”, in Íslensk orðsifjabók, Reykjavík: Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, →ISBN, page 193 (Available at Málið.is under the “Eldri orðabækur” tab.)