Bjørnøya

== Norwegian Nynorsk == === Alternative forms === Bjørnøyi (pre-2012) === Etymology === Definite form; from bjørn (“bear”) +‎ øy (“island”). The island in the Svalbarg archipelago is a calque of Dutch Bereneiland, named by Willem Barents in 1596 after he saw a polar bear swimming by the island. Compare Faroese Bjarnoyggin, Bjarnoy, Icelandic Bjarnarey, Swedish Björnön, and Danish Bjørneøen. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /²bjœrnœʏːa/, /²bjœnːœʏːa/ === Proper noun === Bjørnøya f (indefinite Bjørnøy) a common island name, found various places across Norway Bear Island (an island of Svalbard, Norway)