wijf

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch wijf, from Old Dutch wīf, from Proto-West Germanic *wīb, from Proto-Germanic *wībą.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ʋɛi̯f/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: wijf
  • Rhymes: -ɛi̯f

Noun

wijf n (plural wijven, diminutive wijfje n)

  1. (generally, derogatory) woman, potentially being as pejorative as bitch
    (Brabantian) Da stom wijf ij me gu lige gat!
    That bitch really took advantage of me!
  2. (often derogatory) babe, broad

Usage notes

The diminutive of this word has an independent meaning (“female animal”). Colloquial diminutives (e.g. wijfie) often have a familiar meaning.

Derived terms

Descendants
  • Afrikaans: wyf
  • Jersey Dutch: wāif
  • Negerhollands: wief, wif
  • Skepi Creole Dutch: weef
  • Sranan Tongo: wefi

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch wīf, from Proto-West Germanic *wīb.

Noun

wijf n

  1. woman
  2. wife, married woman

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

Further reading
  • “wijf”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “wijf”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Middle English

Noun

wijf (plural *wijve)

  1. Alternative spelling of wyf
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