scharminkel

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch scheminkel, from older siminkel (“monkey, ape”), ultimately from Late Latin *simiunculus or its feminine form, from simius (“monkey”) - or possibly a Dutch diminutive of Middle Dutch simme (“monkey, ape”) which is from a non-diminutive form of Latin simius.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌsxɑrˈmɪn.kəl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: schar‧min‧kel

Noun

scharminkel n (plural scharminkels, diminutive scharminkeltje n)

1. (mildly derogatory, usually of animals or children) scrag (someone or something scrawny)

   Denk je echt dat ik die scharminkels van jou ga kopen? Ik zal de caviapolitie bellen!

   Do you really think that I am going to buy those scrags from you? I will call the guinea pigs [animal cops] instead!

Descendants

• Afrikaans: skarminkel
• → West Frisian: skarminkel

Further reading

• van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “scharminkel”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute