vittra

Borrowed from German wittern (“to scent”), verwittern (“to erode”), both from Middle High German weter (“weather”).

vittra (present vittrar, preterite vittrade, supine vittrat, imperative vittra)

1. (sometimes with bort (“away”) or other particles) to break down into small particles (often of mountains and the like, through natural processes), to weather

   Synonym: (completely) förvittra

2. to pick up a scent; to smell (also figuratively)

   Han såg att hunden vittrade något

   He could tell the dog was picking up some scent

   Laget vittrade blod när motståndarlagets bästa spelare utvisades

   The team smelt blood when the best player in the opposing team was sent off

• Sometimes used figuratively similar to how wither would be used in English in (sense 1), though vissna is closer to the literal meaning.
• See vittring to get a sense of how (sense 2) might be used.

• vittring

• vädra

Doublet of vätte.

vittra c

1. a mythological, underground-dwelling creature from Scandinavian folklore

• vittra in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• vittra in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• vittra in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• vittra in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)