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Etymology and origin of the Dutch word alles

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1561
Ultimate origin
Proto-Germanic *allaz

Pronunciation

Forms

alles (indefinite pronoun, invariable)[2][1] In the 16th and 17th centuries it was also written all's, alls, al's and als.[2]

Etymology

It is probably the genitive of al “all”, itself Proto-Germanic *allaz (“all”), just as niets and iets are genitives.[3][2][4][1] Middle Dutch used the genitive after verbs that governed that case, as in ⟨alles te darvene⟩ “to lack everything” (13th century); when the case system decayed, such a genitive was taken as an accusative and then as a subject form.[3][2][5] The ordinary Middle Dutch nominative and accusative were ⟨allet⟩, ⟨alle⟩ and ⟨al⟩.[2]

The German word looks the same, but its ⟨s⟩ comes from ⟨z⟩: German alles continues Old High German allaz, the neuter of Old High German all, like Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐌰𐍄𐌰 (allata).[2][6][7] De Vries thought it likely that Dutch borrowed the word, because the High German form fits the meaning better.[6] Franck and Van Wijk left both possibilities open.[7] De Vries and De Tollenaere reject the German source, while the EWN and the WNT think German probably helped the genitive win.[4][3][2] Wiktionary notes that western German dialects have ⟨alles⟩ where it cannot go back to the neuter nominative.[1]

Middle Dutch also had an adverbial genitive alles, usually contracted to ⟨als⟩, meaning “altogether”, like Gothic 𐌰𐌻𐌻𐌹𐍃 (allis).[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

As an independent pronoun alles is recorded in 1561, in ende alles met hen ooghen ghesien, “and seen everything with their own eyes”.[3] Kiliaan's dictionary of 1599 has it, and in 1607 it also gives t'alles “altogether”.[9][3][5]

Semantic evolution

In the 17th century alles replaced the old singular pronoun al, which survives only in fixed phrases; in the States Bible it was already the usual word.[2][7] The States Bible also gave the phrase alles in allen, said of God, “all in all”.[2] Used as a noun, het alles is everything that matters to someone, as when a person is called someone's all.[2][10]

The WNT records alles is wel, maar…, “that is all very well, but…” (1784), and the sailors' hail Alles wel? with its answer Alles wel!.[2] Een manusje van alles is a jack-of-all-trades.[11] The modern curse krijg alles! wishes every possible illness on someone.[12] Afrikaans has alles.[1]

Timeline

  • 1236 – Middle Dutch alles te darvene “to lack everything” shows the genitive after a verb.[5][4]
  • 1561 – Alles is used as an independent pronoun.[3]
  • 1599–1607 – Kiliaan records alles.[9][3]
  • 1688 – An edition of the States Bible has Op dat Godt zy alles in allen.[2]
  • 1784 – Alles is wel, Piet, maar… is recorded.[2]
  • 1884 – The WNT describes Alles wel! as a lookout's call on warships.[2]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. everything, all things, the whole of what is meant: Ze heeft alles opgegeten.[10][1][13]
  2. Followed by an adjective with -s: everything that is so: alles nieuws.[2]
  3. In van alles, all sorts of things.[2]

Noun

  1. (het alles) Everything, the most important or valuable thing in someone's life: Haar kinderen waren haar alles.[10][2]

Word family

  • allesbehalve
  • allesomvattend
  • alleseter
  • allesweter
  • allesverterend
  • allesbrander

Usage notes

Een manusje van alles is someone who can be used for any task;[11] Stoett takes Manus as the common man's name, a shortening of Hermanus, and rejects the explanation from Latin manus “hand”.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
  4. ^ a b c Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 49
  5. ^ a b c Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
  6. ^ a b Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b c Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  8. ^ Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  9. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  10. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  11. ^ a b c Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
  12. ^ Sterkenburg, P. G. J. van (2001), Vloeken: een cultuurbepaalde reactie op woede, irritatie en frustratie, 2nd ed., Den Haag: Sdu
  13. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
Cite this entry

“Alles.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/nl/alles. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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