krøll (Norwegian Bokmål)

Where does "krøll" come from?

The Norwegian Bokmål noun 'krøll' derives from the verb 'krølle', meaning 'to curl'[1]. This verb itself traces back to Middle Low German 'krullen'[2]. Over time, the term shifted in sense from physical curling to also describe fuss or trouble[1].

Full etymology tree

• krøll (Norwegian Bokmål), 'a curl (something that is curled, the act of being curled)'
  • derived krølle (Norwegian Bokmål), 'to curl (e.g. hair)'
    • borrowed krullen (Middle Low German)

Sources

1. krøll (Norwegian Bokmål) - Wiktionary
2. krølle (Norwegian Bokmål) - Wiktionary

Updated October 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris