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nooi. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
nooi, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
nooi in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
nooi you have here. The definition of the word
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Afrikaans
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Dutch nodigen or its dated variant noden (both “to invite”), respectively from Middle Dutch nôdigen, nôden (both originally “to force, compel”); related with Afrikaans nood, English need. The shorter form yields Afrikaans nooi through regular d-loss (cf. dooie < Dutch dode). If it is from nodigen, the -g- must have been elided additionally. This does not normally happen in unstressed -ig-, but would still be likely here because of the postvocalic environment, i.e. nodigen > *nooige > nooi(e).
Verb
nooi (present nooi, present participle nooiende, past participle genooi)
- to invite
Etymology 2
From Dutch nonna (or a byform of this), borrowed from Malay nyonya. Possibly influenced by West Frisian nonke (“dear”).
Noun
nooi (plural nooiens, diminutive nooientjie or noointjie)
- mistress, young lady, maiden
- girlfriend (romantic), sweetheart
- maiden name
- Wife of the baas
- ‘They no longer address them as baas and nooi, but call them by their Christian names’, Sheila Patterson, The Last Trek: A Study of the Boer People and the Afrikaner Nation, Routledge Editions, 1957, p. 252.
Derived terms