lente

spring, the season between winter and summer


winter

From Dutch winter, from Middle Dutch winter, from Old Dutch winter, from Proto-Germanic *wintruz.


beige

af-adj

beige (attributive beige, comparative beiger, superlative beigeste)

beige (attributive)
beiger (comparative)
beigeste (superlative)


a cappella

Either from Dutch a capella or from English a cappella, ultimately from Italian alla cappella.


bloed

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃-?
Proto-Germanic *blōþą
Proto-West Germanic *blōd
Old Dutch bluot
Middle Dutch bloet
Dutch bloed
Afrikaans bloed
From Dutch bloed, from Middle Dutch bloet, from Old Dutch bluot, from Proto-Germanic *blōþą.


platinum

af-adj

platinum (attributive platinum, not comparable)


dam

From Dutch dam, from Middle Dutch dam, from Old Dutch dam, from Proto-Germanic *dammaz.


pers

From Dutch pers, from Middle Dutch perse.


koper

From Dutch koper, from Middle Dutch coper, ultimately from Latin cuprum.


hamer

head

hamer (plural hamers, diminutive hamertjie)

From Dutch hamer, from Middle Dutch hāmer, from Old Dutch *hamar, from Proto-Germanic *hamaraz.

(music) a hammer; part of a piano, dulcimer and similar instruments which strikes the string


wit

af-adj

wit (attributive wit, comparative witter, superlative witste)

wit (attributive)
witter (comparative)
witste (superlative)
wit (attributive positive predicative)
witte (attributive independent positive singular)
wittes (attributive independent plural positive)
wits (partitive positive)
witter (attributive comparative predicative)
wittere (attributive comparative independent singular)
witteres (attributive comparative independent plural)
witters (comparative partitive)
witste (attributive predicative superlative)
witste (singular superlative)
witstes (attributive independent plural superlative)

From Dutch wit, from Middle Dutch wit, from Old Dutch *wit, from Proto-Germanic *hwittaz.


groen

groen (attributive groen, comparative groener, superlative groenste)

groen (attributive)
groener (comparative)
groenste (superlative)
groen (attributive positive predicative)
groene (attributive independent positive singular)
groenes (attributive independent plural positive)
groens (partitive positive)
groener (attributive comparative predicative)
groenere (attributive comparative independent singular)
groeneres (attributive comparative independent plural)
groeners (comparative partitive)
groenste (attributive predicative superlative)
groenste (singular superlative)
groenstes (attributive independent plural superlative)

From Dutch groen, from Middle Dutch groene, from Old Dutch *gruoni, from Proto-West Germanic *grōnī, from Proto-Germanic *grōniz.


tee

From Dutch thee (in the past commonly spelled tee).

Kom ons gaan drink tee.


dood

From Dutch dood, from Middle Dutch dôot, from Old Dutch dōth, from Proto-West Germanic *dauþu, from Proto-Germanic *dauþuz.


apartheid

From Dutch apartheid, equivalent to apart (“separate, apart”) + -heid (“-ness, -hood”).


blank

af-adj

blank (attributive blanke, comparative blanker, superlative blankste)

blanke (attributive)
blanker (comparative)
blankste (superlative)


spook

→ Northern Ndebele: isipoko

→ Xhosa: isiporho

→ Zulu: isipoki

From Dutch spook, from Middle Dutch spoke, spooc, from Proto-Germanic *spōk.


bas

From Dutch bas, borrowed from Middle French basse, from Italian basso, from Late Latin bassus.


loop

From Dutch loop, from Middle Dutch lôop, from Old Dutch *lōp.

(music, usually in diminutive) run: a rapid passage in music, especially along a scale


swart

swart </b>or (chiefly of people or in figurative use)<b> swarte

swart (attributive swart or (chiefly of people or in figurative use) swarte, comparative swarter, superlative swartste)

swart (attributive)
swarte (attributive)
swarter (comparative)
swartste (superlative)
swart (positive predicative)
swart (attributive positive)
swarte (attributive positive)
swarte (attributive independent positive singular)
swartes (attributive independent plural positive)
swarts (partitive positive)
swarter (attributive comparative predicative)
swartere (attributive comparative independent singular)
swarteres (attributive comparative independent plural)
swarters (comparative partitive)
swartste (attributive predicative superlative)
swartste (singular superlative)
swartstes (attributive independent plural superlative)

From Dutch zwart, from Proto-Germanic *swartaz.

’n swart kat

’n swart(e) dag

’n swart(e) vriend


bruin

bruin </b>or (of people alternatively)<b> bruine

bruin (attributive bruin or (of people alternatively) bruine, comparative bruiner, superlative bruinste)

bruin (attributive)
bruine (attributive)
bruiner (comparative)
bruinste (superlative)
bruin (positive predicative)
bruin (attributive positive)
bruine (attributive positive)
bruine (attributive independent positive singular)
bruines (attributive independent plural positive)
bruins (partitive positive)
bruiner (attributive comparative predicative)
bruinere (attributive comparative independent singular)
bruineres (attributive comparative independent plural)
bruiners (comparative partitive)
bruinste (attributive predicative superlative)
bruinste (singular superlative)
bruinstes (attributive independent plural superlative)

coloured, of mixed-race and/or Southeast Asian stock


daglig

From Dutch daglicht. Equivalent to dag + lig.


piel

head

piel (plural piele, diminutive pieletjie)


sleutel

sleutel (plural sleutels, diminutive sleuteltjie)

sleutels (plural)
sleuteltjie (diminutive)

From Dutch sleutel, from Middle Dutch slōtel, sluetel, from Old Dutch *slutil, from Proto-West Germanic *slutil.


gif

gif (plural giwwe or gifte, diminutive giffie)

giwwe (plural)
gifte (plural)
giffie (diminutive)

From Dutch gif, from earlier gift, from Middle Dutch gift, earlier also gicht. From Old Dutch *gift, from Proto-Germanic *giftiz.


oranje

af-adj

oranje (attributive oranje, comparative oranjier, superlative oranjeste)

oranje (attributive)
oranjier (comparative)
oranjeste (superlative)

From Dutch oranje, from Middle Dutch arance, orange, from Old French orenge, arange, from Latin arancia, from Old Spanish naranja, from Arabic نَارَنْج (nāranj), from Classical Persian نارنگ (nārang), from Sanskrit नारङ्ग (nāraṅga), from Dravidian.


dagga

→ Dutch: dagga

→ English: dagga

→ German: Dagga


geel

geel (attributive geel, comparative geler, superlative geelste)

geel (attributive)
geler (comparative)
geelste (superlative)
geel (attributive positive predicative)
gele (attributive independent positive singular)
geles (attributive independent plural positive)
geels (partitive positive)
geler (attributive comparative predicative)
gelere (attributive comparative independent singular)
geleres (attributive comparative independent plural)
gelers (comparative partitive)
geelste (attributive predicative superlative)
geelste (singular superlative)
geelstes (attributive independent plural superlative)


kruis

head

kruis (plural kruise, diminutive kruisie)

From Dutch kruis, from Middle Dutch crûce, from Old Dutch *krūci, from Latin crux (“cross”).


goud

af-adj

goud (attributive goue, comparative gouer, superlative goudste)

goue (attributive)
gouer (comparative)
goudste (superlative)


melk

Inherited from Dutch melk, from Middle Dutch melc, from Old Dutch miluk, from Proto-Germanic *meluks, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂melǵ-.


melk

af-verb

melk (present melk, present participle melkende, past participle gemelk)

melk (present)
melkende (participle present)
gemelk (participle past)

Inherited from Dutch melken, from Middle Dutch melken, from Old Dutch *melkan, from Proto-Germanic *melkaną.


koor

From Dutch koor, from Middle Dutch côor.


tombo

'n KLOPJAG weens die vermoede dat tombo gestook word in die tronk, is die jongste grief op die vermeende Caprivi-afstigters in Grootfontein se klagtelys.

2004 April 26, “Lewe agter die tralies”, in Republikein:

A raid because of the suspicion that tombo is being brewed in jail, is the latest grief on the list of complaints of the alleged Caprivi separatists in Grootfontein.

Agt polisiebeamptes wat in April 'n man forseer het om in tombo te swem terwyl hulle hom beledig het, is steeds geskors.

Eight police officers who in April forced a man to swim in tombo while they insulted him, are still suspended.

(Namibia) tombo (a traditional sweet beer)


sanger

Inherited from Dutch zanger, from Middle Dutch sanger.


aktinium

From Dutch actinium, from French actinium, equivalent to aktin- + -ium.


bliksem

head

bliksem (plural bliksems, diminutive bliksempie)

bliksems (plural)
bliksempie (diminutive)

From Dutch bliksem, from Middle Dutch blexeme, from Old Dutch blikisni (“lightning bolts”), ultimately from a Proto-Germanic derivation of Proto-Indo-European *bʰleyǵ-.


halogeen

(chemistry) halogen (any element of group 17 of the periodic table)


capriccio

Either from Dutch capriccio or from English capriccio, ultimately from Italian capriccio.


stikstof

From Dutch stikstof, from stikken (“to suffocate”) + stof (“matter”), referring to the fact that an animal placed on pure nitrogen suffocates.


noord

From Dutch noord, from Middle Dutch nort, from Old Dutch *nord, from Proto-Germanic *nurþrą.


viool

head

viool (plural viole, diminutive viooltjie)

From Dutch viool, from Middle French viole, from Medieval Latin vitula.


edelgas

From Dutch edelgas, from German Edelgas. Equivalent to edel (“noble”) + gas.

(chemistry) noble gas (any of the elements of group 18 of the periodic table)


Atena

(Greek mythology) Alternative spelling of Athena


arsenik

rooi arsenik
realgar

(dated) common name for various arsenic compounds


blou

af-adj

blou (attributive blou, comparative blouer, superlative blouste)

blou (attributive)
blouer (comparative)
blouste (superlative)

From Dutch blauw, from Middle Dutch blau, from Old Dutch *blāo, from Proto-West Germanic *blāu, from Proto-Germanic *blēwaz.


grys

grys </b>or (chiefly figurative senses)<b> gryse

grys (attributive grys or (chiefly figurative senses) gryse, comparative gryser, superlative gryste)

grys (attributive)
gryse (attributive figuratively)
gryser (comparative)
gryste (superlative)
grys (positive predicative)
grys (attributive positive)
gryse (attributive positive)
gryse (attributive independent positive singular)
gryses (attributive independent plural positive)
grys (partitive positive)
gryser (attributive comparative predicative)
grysere (attributive comparative independent singular)
gryseres (attributive comparative independent plural)
grysers (comparative partitive)
gryste (attributive predicative superlative)
gryste (singular superlative)
grystes (attributive independent plural superlative)


granaat

→ Xhosa: irharnate

From Dutch granaat, Middle Dutch garnate, grenate, from Old French grenat, from Latin pomus granatus (“seeded apple”).


aambeeld

head

aambeeld (plural aambeelde, diminutive aambeeldjie)

aambeelde (plural)
aambeeldjie (diminutive)

From Dutch aambeeld, from Middle Dutch aenbilt.


volkslied

From Dutch volkslied. Equivalent to volk + -s- + lied.


motief

From Dutch motief, from Middle Dutch motijf, from French motif, from Latin mōtīvus.

Daar is geen motiewe in hierdie kuns, alleen maar improvisasie nie.

There are no motifs in this art, there's only improvisation.


vuurtoring

From Dutch vuurtoren. Equivalent to vuur + toring.


yster

From Dutch ijzer, from Middle Dutch iser, from Old Dutch *īsarn, from Proto-Germanic *īsarną, from Proto-Celtic *īsarnom, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésh₂r̥ (“blood”).


prostituut

prostituut (plural prostitute, diminutive prostituutjie)

prostitute (plural)
prostituutjie (diminutive)


xilofoon

xilofoon (plural xilofone, diminutive xilofoontjie)

xilofone (plural)
xilofoontjie (diminutive)


draadtrek

af-verb

draadtrek (present trek draad, present participle draadtrekkende, past participle draadgetrek)

trek draad (present)
draadtrekkende (participle present)
draadgetrek (participle past)

From draad (“wire”) + trek (“pull”). A euphemistic calque of Khoekhoe ǁnâiǁnâi.

(slang, vulgar) to masturbate (of a man)


weerligstraal

head

weerligstraal (plural weerligstrale, diminutive weerligstraaltjie)

weerligstrale (plural)
weerligstraaltjie (diminutive)

From weerlig (“lightning”) + straal (“beam, ray”).


weerlig

head

weerlig (uncountable, diminutive weerliggie)


vonkelwyn

vonkelwyn (plural vonkelwyne, diminutive vonkelwyntjie)

vonkelwyne (plural)
vonkelwyntjie (diminutive)

→ Dutch: vonkelwijn

From vonkel (“sparkling”) + wyn (“wine”), possibly a loan translation of English sparkling wine.


suurstof

From Dutch zuurstof (which see), from French oxygène.


swawel

From Dutch zwavel, from Middle Dutch swavel, swevel, from Old Dutch *sweval, from Proto-Germanic *sweblaz.


silwer

af-adj

silwer (attributive silwer, comparative silwerder, superlative silwerste)

silwer (attributive)
silwerder (comparative)
silwerste (superlative)

From Dutch zilver, from Old Dutch *silvar, from Proto-Germanic *silubrą.


swael

With loss of intervocalic -v- from Dutch zwavel (“sulfur”). See the main entry for more.


hoerboer

head

hoerboer (plural hoerboere, diminutive hoerboertjie)

hoerboere (plural)
hoerboertjie (diminutive)

From hoer (“whore, prostitute”) + boer (“farmer”).


doodhuis

head

doodhuis (plural doodhuise, diminutive doodhuisie)

doodhuise (plural)
doodhuisie (diminutive)

(uncommon) Alternative spelling of dodehuis


doodshuis

doodshuis (plural doodshuise, diminutive doodshuisie)

doodshuise (plural)
doodshuisie (diminutive)


lykshuis

lykshuis (plural lykshuise, diminutive lykshuisie)

lykshuise (plural)
lykshuisie (diminutive)


lykhuis

lykhuis (plural lykhuise, diminutive lykhuisie)

lykhuise (plural)
lykhuisie (diminutive)

From lyk (“body, corpse”) + huis (“house”).


doderyk

From dood (“death, dead”) + ryk (“realm”).

underworld; realm of the dead; place where the dead go to


dodehuis

dodehuis (plural dodehuise, diminutive dodehuisie)

dodehuise (plural)
dodehuisie (diminutive)

From dood (“death, dead”) + huis (“house”).


begrafplaas

begrafplaas (plural begrafplase, diminutive begrafplasie)

begrafplase (plural)
begrafplasie (diminutive)

(colloquial) Alternative form of begraafplaas


begraafplaas

begraafplaas (plural begraafplase, diminutive begraafplasie)

begraafplase (plural)
begraafplasie (diminutive)

/bəˈχrɑːfˌplɑːs/


bliksemstraal

bliksemstraal (plural bliksemstrale, diminutive bliksemstraaltjie)

bliksemstrale (plural)
bliksemstraaltjie (diminutive)

From Dutch bliksemstraal. Equivalent to bliksem (“lightning”) + straal (“beam, ray”).


alkalimetaal

Compound of alkali (“alkali”) + metaal (“metal”) or from Dutch alkalimetaal.


weerberig

head

weerberig (plural weerberigte, diminutive weerberiggie)

weerberigte (plural)
weerberiggie (diminutive)

From weer (“weather”) + berig (“article, report”).


doodberig

head

doodberig (plural doodberigte, diminutive doodberiggie)

doodberigte (plural)
doodberiggie (diminutive)

From dood (“death”) + berig (“article, report”).


weervoorspelling

head

weervoorspelling (plural weervoorspellings or weervoorspellinge (dated))

weervoorspellings (plural)
weervoorspellinge (dated plural)

From Dutch weersvoorspelling. Equivalent to weer (“weather”) + voorspelling (“forecast, prediction”).

affix

weather forecast
weather forecast#English


adrenalien

From Dutch adrenaline or English adrenaline.

(biochemistry) adrenaline (epinephrine, the hormone and neurotransmitter)


klavier

From Dutch klavier, from Middle Dutch klavier, from Middle French clavier.


herfs

From Dutch herfst, from Middle Dutch herfst, from Old Dutch *hervist, from Proto-Germanic *harbistaz, from Proto-Indo-European *kerp-.


ligtoring

From Dutch lichttoren. Equivalent to lig + toring.


ysberg

head

ysberg (plural ysberge, diminutive ysbergie)

From Dutch ijsberg, from Middle Dutch ijsberch. Equivalent to ys (“ice”) + berg (“mountain”).

iceberg (mountain-size mass of floating ice)


Die Stem van Suid-Afrika

The Call of South Africa
The Call of South Africa


Die Stem

Die Stem van Suid-Afrika
Die Stem van Suid-Afrika#Afrikaans

(informal) Short for Die Stem van Suid-Afrika.


ligroos

af-adj

ligroos (attributive ligroose, comparative ligrooser, superlative ligroosste)

ligroose (attributive)
ligrooser (comparative)
ligroosste (superlative)


pienk

pienk (attributive pienk, comparative pienker, superlative pienkste)

pienk (attributive)
pienker (comparative)
pienkste (superlative)
pienk (attributive positive predicative)
pienke (attributive independent positive singular)
pienkes (attributive independent plural positive)
pienks (partitive positive)
pienker (attributive comparative predicative)
pienkere (attributive comparative independent singular)
pienkeres (attributive comparative independent plural)
pienkers (comparative partitive)
pienkste (attributive predicative superlative)
pienkste (singular superlative)
pienkstes (attributive independent plural superlative)


skemerkelk

head

skemerkelk (plural skemerkelke, diminutive skemerkelkie)

skemerkelke (plural)
skemerkelkie (diminutive)

→ Dutch: schemerkelkje

(chiefly diminutive) sundowner (cocktail drunk at sunset)


melkskommel

melkskommel (plural melkskommels, diminutive melkskommeltjie)

melkskommels (plural)
melkskommeltjie (diminutive)

From melk + skommel, calque of English milkshake.


verassing

From Dutch verassing. Equivalent to veras + -s + -ing.


seisoen

From Dutch seizoen, from Middle Dutch saisoene, sysoen, from Old French saison, from Latin satiōnem.


lidjiestee

An herbal tea made from either of two species of Thesium: Thesium macrostachyum or Thesium spicatum.


vrouebossie

Geranium incanum, a wild geranium used as an herbal tea; carpet geranium


orkes

From Dutch orkest, from French orchestre, from Latin orchēstra, from Ancient Greek ὀρχήστρα (orkhḗstra).


seewater

/ˈsɪə̯ˌvɑː.tər/

From Dutch zeewater, from Middle Dutch sêewater. Equivalent to see (“sea”) + water (“water”).


Oortwolk

Compound of Oort (“Oort”) + wolk (“cloud”).


asteroïedgordel

asteroïedgordel (plural asteroïedgordele, diminutive asteroïedgordeltjie)

asteroïedgordele (plural)
asteroïedgordeltjie (diminutive)

Compound of asteroïed (“asteroid”) + gordel (“belt”).


Sonnestelsel

From Dutch zonnestelsel. Compound of son (“sun”) + -e- + stelsel (“system”).


periodieke tabel

head

periodieke tabel (plural periodieke tabelle, diminutive periodieke tabelletjie)

periodieke tabelle (plural)
periodieke tabelletjie (diminutive)

liquid

Color of the number (state of matter at STP)


gety

(Catholicism, in the plural) canonical hours, divine office


alkaliaardmetaal

Compound of alkali (“alkaline”) + aardmetaal (“earth metal”).

compound

alkaline earth metal
alkaline earth metal#English

(inorganic chemistry) alkaline earth metal; Synonym of aardalkalimetaal


alkali-aardmetaal

(inorganic chemistry) Alternative spelling of alkaliaardmetaal


chalkogeen

(inorganic chemistry) chalcogen (any element of group 16 of the periodic table)


pniktogeen

(chemistry) Alternative form of pnikogeen


pnikogeen

(chemistry) pnictogen (any element of group 15 of the periodic table)


seldsameaard-metaal

(inorganic chemistry) Alternative spelling of seldsameaardmetaal


aardalkalimetaal

Compound of aardalkali (“alkaline earth”) + metaal.

(inorganic chemistry) alkaline earth metal


seldsameaardmetaal

Compound of seldsame (“rare”) + aard (“earth”) + metaal.

rare earth element
rare earth element#English

rare earth metal
rare earth metal#English

(inorganic chemistry) rare earth element; rare earth metal


radioaktiwiteit

From Dutch radioactiviteit, equivalent to radio- + aktiwiteit (“activity”).


radioaktief

af-adj

radioaktief (attributive radioaktiewe, comparative meer radioaktief, superlative mees radioaktiewe or radioaktiefste)

radioaktiewe (attributive)
meer radioaktief (comparative)
mees radioaktiewe (superlative)
radioaktiefste (superlative)

From Dutch radioactief, equivalent to radio- + aktief.


radioaktiewe element

head

radioaktiewe element (plural radioaktiewe elemente)

(physics) radioactive element; Synonym of radioëlement


liedjieskrywer

From liedjie (“song”) + skrywer (“writer”).


smeeblok

smeeblok (plural smeeblokke, diminutive smeeblokkie)

smeeblokke (plural)
smeeblokkie (diminutive)


karmosyn

af-verb

karmosyn (present karmosyn, present participle karmosynende, past participle gekarmosyn)

karmosyn (present)
karmosynende (participle present)
gekarmosyn (participle past)

From Dutch karmozijn, from Middle French cramoisin, from Old French cramoisin, from Latin carmesinus, a variant of carminus, from Arabic قرمزي (qirmizi), a derived form of قرمز (qirmiz).

(intransitive, rare) to crimson (to become crimson-coloured)


sterrestelsel

From sterre (“stars”) + stelsel (“system”).


kokaïne

cocaine (narcotic derived from coca plants)


brandstigting

From Dutch brandstichting. Equivalent to brandstig + -ing.


temalied

head

temalied (plural temaliede, diminutive temaliedjie)

temaliede (plural)
temaliedjie (diminutive)

(music) intro, theme song (a song that supports the theme of a radio or TV program and is usually played at the beginning of it)