Nordic

American  

[nawr-dik] / ˈnɔr dɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a Germanic people of northern European origin, exemplified by the Scandinavians.

2. having or suggesting the physical characteristics associated with these people, typically tall stature, blond hair, blue eyes, and elongated head.

3. (sometimes lowercase) of or relating to skiing events involving ski jumping and cross-country skiing.

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noun

1. a member of the Nordic people, especially a Scandinavian.

nordic ¹ British  

/ ˈnɔːdɪk /

adjective

1. skiing of or relating to competitions in cross-country racing and ski-jumping Compare alpine

2. (of recreational walking) incorporating the use of poles that resemble ski poles to aid movement

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Nordic ² British  

/ ˈnɔːdɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to a subdivision of the Caucasoid race typified by the tall blond blue-eyed long-headed inhabitants of N Britain, Scandinavia, N Germany, and the Netherlands

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Usage

What is Nordic skiing? Nordic is a classification used to refer to types of skiing, including cross-country skiing and ski jumping.The terms Nordic and Nordic skiing are used in contrast with Alpine and Alpine skiing, which refer to what’s sometimes also called downhill skiing. Alpine events include the downhill, the slalom, the giant slalom, and the super giant slalom (popularly called Super G). Both nordic and alpine are sometimes left uncapitalized.There are multiple Nordic events in the Winter Olympics, including multiple events in both ski jumping (Normal Hill and Large Hill) and cross-country skiing (including sprints and longer distance races, such as the one known as Skiathlon). The event called Nordic Combined features both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.There are also Nordic skiing events in the Paralympic Winter Games.The skis used in Nordic skiing differ from those used in Alpine skiing in shape, size, and structure.Example: Alpine skiing gets a lot of attention during the Olympics, but the Nordic events are also very exciting to watch.

Other Word Forms

• Nordicity noun
• anti-Nordic adjective
• non-Nordic adjective
• pro-Nordic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Nordic

1895–1900; < French nordique, equivalent to nord north + -ique -ic

Example Sentences

Nordic countries were also facing snow-related chaos, with officials in eastern Sweden warning that power cuts were "likely" because of heavy snowfall.

From Barron's

“The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, and Nordic neighbors such as Sweden, Finland, and Norway all fall squarely within this range. Denmark represents the low-water mark.”

From Barron's

It includes around 20 major Nordic brands, such as Ikea, Strawberry, a hospitality chain, and HSB, Sweden's biggest federation of cooperative housing, who meet to share their experiences and strategies for tackling loneliness.

From BBC

Two people have died in Sweden after a powerful winter storm swept across Nordic countries, causing travel disruption and power outages.

From BBC

But the resort’s most impressive restaurant is KŌEN, which crafts a fine-dining degustation menu with a Nordic aesthetic, Japanese techniques, and Maldivian inspiration.

From Salon