Lagom is a Swedish word and cultural concept meaning just the right amount, not too much and not too little. It is translated variously as in moderation, in balance, just enough, ideal, or suitable in matters of amount, and unlike words such as sufficient or average, it carries a sense of appropriateness rather than scarcity or excess. The archetypal Swedish proverb usually rendered as lagom ar bast, the right amount is best, is also translated as enough is as good as a feast, or there is virtue in moderation, and the idea is applied broadly to everyday matters of balance and sufficiency, including in the home.
Facts
Origin YearThe earliest attestations of the word are recorded in seventeenth century texts, per the cited source. 1600 marks the turn of that century as a conventional reference point, not a precise year, the same century level convention used for Hygge on this atlas. OriginThe word lagom derives from an archaic dative plural of the Swedish word lag, meaning law, understood here as according to custom or according to common sense rather than strict judicial law. The earliest attestations of the word are from 17th century texts. A popular but false etymology claims lagom is a contraction of laget om, around the team, tied to a Viking era legend about sharing mead from a horn; this derivation is not supported by the sources. 1 FAQs
Does lagom really come from a Viking phrase about sharing mead?
No. That is a popular but false etymology; the real word is older and means according to custom.
A popular story claims lagom is a contraction of laget om, around the team, tied to a Viking era legend about sharing mead from a horn so everyone got a fair share. The sources do not support this derivation. Lagom actually derives from an archaic dative plural of the Swedish word lag, meaning law, understood here as according to custom or according to common sense rather than strict judicial law. The earliest attestations of the word are from seventeenth century texts.
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Sources
1. Lagom (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationEtymology section
The earliest attestations of the word are from 17th-century texts.
Etymology section, seventeenth century attestation sentence
The earliest attestations of the word are from 17th-century texts.
View the Source Open Questions (1 open question)
What is the precise year the Swedish word lagom first appeared in writing?
Sources place the earliest attestations of the word only broadly in the 17th century, with no specific year or document named.
What would resolve this A dated citation to the specific earliest surviving 17th century Swedish text using the word, drawn from a Swedish etymological dictionary or philological study.
Historical linguistics, Swedish philologyLagom (Wikipedia)
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