kalverliefde

Dutch

FWOTD – 14 February 2020

Etymology

Compound of kalver (“calf, young bovine”) +‎ liefde (“love”). First attested in the 17th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɑl.vərˌlif.də/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: kal‧ver‧lief‧de

Noun

kalverliefde f (plural kalverliefdes or kalverliefden)

1. puppy love; a youthful, immature form of love often associated with young people.
   • 1625, Jacob Cats, "Wegh-wyser ten houwelijck uyt den dool-hof der kalverliefde." ("Road sign towards marriage from the maze of puppy love"), in Houwelijcx (DBNL), in Johannes van Vloten (ed.), Alle de werken van Jacob Cats, part 1, publ. by de erven J.J. Tijl (1862), page 358.

Descendants

• Afrikaans: kalwerliefde
• → English: calf love (calque)
• → West Frisian: kealleljeafde (calque)