nikker

English

Etymology

Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *nikwus (“nix, water-sprite”).

Noun

nikker (plural nikkers)

  1. (obsolete) A sea demon; a sea devil.

Dutch

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈnɪkər/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: nik‧ker
  • Rhymes: -ɪkər

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English nigger, from a Romance language, ultimately from Latin niger (“shining black”); but also influenced by etymology 2 as nixies were believed to be of a dark colour. Related to neger.

Noun

nikker m (plural nikkers, diminutive nikkertje n)

  1. (derogatory, ethnic slur, offensive) A nigger (offensive slur for a black person). [from 19th c.]
    Synonyms: blauwe, roetmop
Alternative forms

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch nicker (“nix, nixie; demon”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *nikwus, *nikwis (“nix, water-sprite”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *neygʷ- (“to wash”).

Noun

nikker m (plural nikkers, diminutive nikkertje n)

  1. (mythology, dated, now likely to be confused with the ethnic slur) A water spirit, especially one who lures (young) people to drown; a neck, nix, nixie. [from 16th c.]
    • 1873, R. R. Rijkens, De reiziger. Aardrijkskundige beschrijvingen en schilderingen. Leesboek voor de hoogste klasse der lagereschool, J. B. Wolters (3rd revised ed.), page 94.
      Het volk in de nabijheid der hooge bergmeren gelooft nog aan allerlei kobolden, elfen, nikkers, water- en berggeesten.
      The people in the vicinity of the high mountain lakes still believe in all kinds of kobolds, elves, necks, water sprites and mountain spirits.
    • 1924, Lodewijk Opdebeek, "Peters Kind" (part 6, "Muziek"), De Vlaamsche Gids, page 289.
      Hij vermaande hem zoetjes, sprak van Nikker en Bloedkaros, maar Fikske liet zich niet afbangen, 't kon hem allemaal niet schelen: het manneke, daar diep beneden, trok hem te veel aan.
      He gently reprimanded him, talked about the nixie and the child-butchering carriage, but Fikske wouldn't let himself get scared of it, he couldn't care less about it all: the little man, down below there, attracted him far too much for that.
    Synonyms: nix, watergeest
  2. (obsolete) A demon, a devil. [16th–19th c.]
    Synonyms: demoon, droes, duivel

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

nikker

  1. present of nikke
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