eeuw

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch êwe, from Old Dutch ēwa, from Proto-West Germanic *aiw, from Proto-Germanic *aiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyu- (vital force).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /eːu̯/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: eeuw
  • Rhymes: -eːu̯

Noun

eeuw f (plural eeuwen, diminutive eeuwtje n)

  1. a century, 100 years
    Synonym: jaarhonderd
    De kathedraal is al meer dan twee eeuwen oud.
    The cathedral is over two centuries old.
    In de geschiedenis van de mensheid zijn er eeuwen van vooruitgang geweest.
    In the history of mankind, there have been centuries of progress.
  2. (by extension) many years, a very long time; far too long, (an) eternity
    Het duurde eeuwen voordat het eten eindelijk klaar was.
    It took ages for the food to finally be ready.
    Het voelde alsof ik een eeuw moest wachten voordat ze terugkwam.
    It felt like I had to wait an eternity before she returned.
    Wacht alsjeblieft niet eeuwen met het nemen van een beslissing.
    Please don't wait forever to make a decision.
    De trein lijkt altijd te komen wanneer je denkt dat het nog eeuwen zal duren.
    The train always seems to arrive when you think it will still be ages away.

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: eeu

References

  • van Veen, P.A.F., van der Sijs, Nicoline (1997) Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden (in Dutch), Utrecht, Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie, →ISBN