nøgle

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɔɣlə/, /ˈnʌjlə/, [ˈnɒ̽jlə]
• Rhymes: -ʌjlə

From Old Danish nykil, cognate with Swedish nyckel and Norwegian nøkkel, possibly identical to the following word. Alternatively, it is a younger form, with dissimilation, of Old Danish lykil (cf. also Jutlandic løgel), from Old Norse lykill, derived from the verb lúka (“to close, lock”), from Proto-Germanic *lūkaną.

nøgle c (singular definite nøglen, plural indefinite nøgler)

1. key
2. clef

From Old Norse hnykill (“swelling”), derived from the noun Proto-Germanic *hnukkaz, *hnukkô (“hook”), cf. Danish nok (“tap”) (dialect), Icelandic hnokki (“hook”), Old English hnocc (“hook, penis”).

nøgle n (singular definite nøglet, plural indefinite nøgler)

1. ball (quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape)