wijf
Dutch edit
Etymology edit
From Middle Dutch wijf, from Old Dutch wīf, from Proto-West Germanic *wīb, from Proto-Germanic *wībą. While initially a neutral term for "woman", the word came to be associated first with lower-class women from the seventeenth century onwards, and over the following centuries developed into a largely derogatory term for woman who is disliked or at least somewhat disrespected by the speaker. Nonetheless, in some dialects the word remained neutral even into the twentieth century.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
wijf n (plural wijven, diminutive wijfje n)
- (now generally derogatory) woman, potentially being as pejorative as bitch
- (often derogatory) broad, bint
Usage notes edit
- The diminutive of this word, wijfje, has an independent meaning (“female animal”) which is a diminutivum tantum in that sense.
- Colloquial diminutives (e.g. wijfie, wijffie) often have a familiar meaning.
Derived terms edit
Descendants edit
Middle Dutch edit
Etymology edit
From Old Dutch wīf, from Proto-West Germanic *wīb.
Noun edit
wijf n
Inflection edit
Declension of wijf
Descendants edit
Further reading edit
- “wijf”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
- Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “wijf”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN
Middle English edit
Noun edit
wijf (plural *wijve)
- Alternative spelling of wyf