Glossary
Glossary
Plain-language definitions, filed by letter.
Terms: 25
B
- bjergHill or mountain. In Denmark a bjerg is only a modest rise, because the highest natural point, Møllehøj, reaches 170.86 m according to Statistics Denmark. Himmelbjerge...
- bæltA belt, the Danish word for the straits between the larger islands. The Great Belt, Storebælt, separates Zealand from Funen, and the Little Belt, Lillebælt, separates ...
- broBridge. On maps the word labels both the major fixed links between islands and small local crossings. The big bridges cross the Great Belt, the Little Belt and the Øre...
- banegårdRailway station, written banegård. The word is used for the main station of a town, and Copenhagen's central station is the Hovedbanegård, the main railway yard. Signs...
F
- fjordA shallow, winding inlet of the sea with low banks, not the steep glacial valley the word suggests in Norway. Roskilde Fjord on Zealand and the Limfjord in North Jutla...
- færgeFerry. A dashed line across water on a map usually marks a ferry route, sometimes labelled with the operator or the crossing. Some ferries carry only passengers and bi...
- fyrLighthouse. Many stand on exposed coastal points and appear on maps with a tower symbol, such as the lighthouse at Blåvandshuk, which Statistics Denmark lists as the w...
G
H
- højA hill or mound, written høj. It names the highest natural point in the country, Møllehøj, at 170.86 m according to Statistics Denmark. It is also the usual word for p...
- havnHarbour or port. København, the Danish name for Copenhagen, means merchants' harbour, and Nyhavn in the city means new harbour. On maps an anchor symbol or a -havn end...
- hedeHeath, an open landscape of low shrubs, heather and grasses on poor, sandy soil. Heathland is a traditional feature of parts of Jutland and often sits behind coastal d...
K
- klitA sand dune, or the dune landscape as a whole. The western coast of Jutland is lined with dunes shaped by the North Sea wind, and Klitmøller in Thy carries the word in...
- kroA traditional inn, often in the countryside, offering food and sometimes rooms. Many kroer sit beside old roads, ferry crossings or harbours and serve regional dishes ...
M
O
S
- strandBeach. The word appears on road signs pointing toward the shore and inside many coastal place names. Denmark's coastline is more than 7,300 km long according to Statis...
- skovA forest or wood. Beech woods are a characteristic part of the Danish landscape and often run close to the water on the Kattegat coast. Statistics Denmark's 2012 yearb...
- søA lake, written sø. Denmark's largest lake, Arresø, covers 39.6 km² according to Statistics Denmark, and the lake district around Silkeborg is among the best known for...
- sundA strait or narrow stretch of water. Øresund is the strait between Zealand and Sweden, and Kronborg Castle at Helsingør overlooks the strait. A sund is also a busy pas...
- slotCastle or palace. It covers both historic fortresses and royal residences, for example Kronborg at Helsingør, which overlooks the narrow strait to Sweden. On maps a sl...
T
V
Å
Ø
- øThe Danish word for island, written ø. It stands alone on maps and ends many island names, such as Fanø, Samsø and Rømø. Statistics Denmark's yearbook Denmark in Figur...
- øerThe plural of ø, meaning islands. Island groups are often named with the related word øhav, the sea of islands, as in Det Sydfynske Øhav, the South Funen Archipelago. ...