Dutch Words in English Language
There are a lot of Dutch loan words in English Language, here is a compact list:[1]
A
- Aardvark
from South African Dutch aard + varken (earth + pig)
- Afrikaans (Africanish)
- Aloof
from loef (a nautical order to keep the ship's head to the wind)
- Avast
from "hou vast" (hold fast, hold steady)
B
- Bamboo
from bamboe, based on Malay mambu
- Bazooka
from bazuin (trompet)
- Beaker
from beker (mug, cup)
- Beleaguer
from belegeren (besiege)
- Berm
- Blare
from blaren and blèren (to bleat, to shout)
- Blaze
from blazen (to blow, on a trumpet)
- Blink
from blinken (to glitter)
- Bluff (poker term)
from bluffen (to brag)
- Boer (Dutch colonist in South Africa)
from boer (farmer)
- Boodle
from Dutch boedel (property)
- Boom
(tree)
- Boomslang
(tree snake, a type of snake)
- Boss
from baas
- Boulevard
from bolwerk, also directly borrowed as bulwark
- Brackish
from brak (salty)
- Brandy
from brandewijn (burnt wine)
- Brooklyn
From Breukelen, a town near Utrecht Bruin(s) (brown)
- Buckwheat
from Dutch boekweit
- Bulwark (see boulevard)
- Bundle
from bundel
- Buoy
from boei
C
from kombuis (ship's kitchen)
- Cockatoo
from kaketoe (bird)
- Coleslaw
from koolsla (cabbage salad)
- Cookie
from koekje
- Crimp
from krimpen (to shrink)
- Cruise
from kruisen (to cross)
- Cruller
from krullen (to curl)
D
- Dapper (bold)
- Deck
from dekken (to cover)
- Decoy
from kooi (cage)
- Dock
from dok
- Dollar
from daalder
- Dope
from doop (to dip)
E
- Easel
from ezel
- Elope
from ontlopen (run away)
- Etch
from ets
F
- Flushing
from Vlissingen
- Foist
from vuist (fist)
- Freebooter
from vrijbuiter
- Freight
from vracht
- Frolic
from vrolijk (cheerful)
- Furlough
from verlof (permission to leave)
G
- Gas (from gas)
- Geek
- from gek (fool)
- Gherkin (from augurken)
- Gin (from jenever)
- Golf
from kolf (bat, club)
- Grab (from grijpen)
- Guilder
from gulden (former Dutch currency)
H
- Hankering
from hunkeren
- Harlem
from Haarlem
- Hoboken
from Hoge Beuken (High Beeches)
- Holster
from holster
- Hooky
from hoek (corner)
I
- Iceberg
from ijsberg (literally ice mountain)
- Ietsism
from ietsisme (literally: somethingism)
K
- Keelhauling
from kielhalen (literally "to haul keel")
- Kink (in a cabel)
from kink (in de kabel)
- Knapsack (from knapzak)
L Landscape from landschap (land + -ship)
- Luck
from geluk (good fortune)
M
- Manikin
from manneken (little man)
- Mart
from markt (market)
- Meerkat
from South African Dutch meer + kat (lake + cat)
- Morass
from moeras (swamp)
O
- Onslaught
From aanslag (attack)
P
- Polder (from polder)
- Pump
from pomp
Q
- Quack
from kwak(-zalver) (literally "someone who daubs ointments")
R
- Roster
from rooster (schedule)
- Rover
from rover (robber)
S
- Santa Claus
from Sinterklaas ("Saint Nicholas)
- School (group of fish)
from Dutch school (group of fish)
- Scone
from schoon (bright)
- Scum (bad person)
from schuim (foam)
- Skate (from schaats)
- Sketch (from schets)
- Skipper
from schipper (literally "shipper")
- Sled, sleigh
from slede, slee
- Sloop (from sloep)
- Slurp (from slurpen)
- Smearcase
from smeerkaas (cheese that can be spread over bread)
- Smelt
from smelten (to melt)
- Snicker
from Dutch snikken (to gasp)
- Snoop
from snoep (candy)
- Snuff
from snuiven (to sniff)
- Splinter (from splinter)
- Split
from splitten
- Spook
from spook (ghost)
- Spoor
from spoor (track)
- Stoker
from stoken (stoke a fire)
- Still life (from Dutch stilleven)
- Stoop (steps) (from stoep)
- Stockfish
from stokvis (stick fish)
- Stove (from stoof)
T
- Tickle (from kietelen)
- Trigger
from trekker (Trekken =to pull)
V
- Vang
from vangen (to catch) Veld from veld (field)
W
- Walrus (from walrus)
- Wagon
from wagen (car)
- Wentletrap
from wenteltrap: wentelen (turning around) and trap (stairs)
- Wildebeest
from wild + beest (wild beast) Witloof from Belgian Dutch witloof (literally white foliage)
Y Yacht from jacht(-schip) (hunting ship) Yankee from Jan-Kees (a name)