spijkerbroek
Dutch edit
Etymology edit
Compound of spijker (“nail (metal fastener)”) + broek (“trousers, pants”). Named after the use of rivets in jeans, which were thought to resemble the heads of nails. Cf. Afrikaans klinknaelbroek (literally “rivet trousers”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
spijkerbroek f (plural spijkerbroeken, diminutive spijkerbroekje n)
- (Netherlands) A pair of jeans.
- De heler verkocht de gestolen spijkerbroeken op de markt bij zee, waar ze zeer in de smaak vielen.
- The fence sold the stolen jeans at the market near the sea, where they appealed to many people's tastes.
Usage notes edit
Not used in Flanders, where the loanword jeans is used instead.