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altijd

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Etymology and origin of the Dutch word altijd

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
1220–1240, Middle Dutch (Aiol, as alle tijt)
Ultimate origin
Proto-Germanic *all,*tīdi
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Dutch al
Dutch altijd
Derived words
Dutch alleen ← al

Pronunciation

  • /ˈɑl.tɛi̯t/[1]

Forms

altijd[1] Middle Dutch and 16th-century Dutch often had altijts, with the adverbial -s.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch altijt, at first written separately as alle tijt, a compound from Dutch al (“every”) + tijd (“time”).[2][1][3] German has the same formation in Middle High German alle zīt and modern German allzeit.[3] The form altijts, with the adverbial -s, was very common at first and above all in the 16th century; it survives in eertijds.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Alle tijt “continually” is first recorded in the Middle Dutch romance Aiol (1220–1240).[2] The compound altijt appears in an Antwerp foundation of 1248–1271, by which the parish priest was to name the donor altijt in the Sunday prayers; the VMNW notes that the sense there is “every time” rather than “for ever”.[2][4][5]

Semantic evolution

From the start the word had both senses that the dictionaries still separate: continuous duration and repetition.[3][4] The States Bible of 1637 still had alle tijt and altijts a few times, but mostly altijt, and that form has been preferred in writing since.[2][3] A weaker sense, “in any case, at any rate”, developed from it.[6][7]

The Danish and Norwegian words altid and alltid come from Dutch or Low German.[8] The word also passed into Negerhollands (altied, altit), Javindo (altet), Sranan Tongo (altèit) and Petjo, where altèt means “sure, of course”;[8][1] Afrikaans has altyd.[8][1]

Timeline

  • 1220–1240 – Alle tijt “continually” in Aiol.[2]
  • 1248–1271 – Altijt “every time” in Antwerp.[4][5]
  • 1491 – The form altijts.[2]
  • 1528 – Altijt in 16th-century Dutch.[2][3]
  • 1637 – The States Bible uses mostly altijt.[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. always, at all times, continually: Hij is altijd vrolijk.[6][1][7]
  2. Every time, repeatedly: Ze komt altijd te laat.[6][7]
  3. In any case, at any rate: Je kunt het altijd nog vragen.[6][7]

Word family

  • altijddurend
  • altijdgroen
  • eertijds
  • German allzeit

Usage notes

Voor altijd and eens en voor altijd mean “for good”.[6] Nog altijd is “still”.[3][6]

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 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h 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
  4. ^ a b c Pijnenburg, W. J. J., et al. (2001), Vroegmiddelnederlands woordenboek: woordenboek van het Nederlands van de dertiende eeuw in hoofdzaak op basis van het Corpus-Gysseling, Leiden: Instituut voor Nederlandse Lexicologie; gtb.ivdnt.org
  5. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  6. ^ a b c d e f Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  7. ^ a b c d WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
  8. ^ a b c Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
Cite this entry

“Altijd.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/nl/altijd. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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