doop

Forms

doop m (plural dopen, diminutive doopje n)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch dôpe, inherited from Old Dutch dōpa, a verbal noun from Dutch dopen (“to dip; to baptize”).^[2][1][3][4] De Vries & De Tollenaere describe it as a verbal abstract with the suffix ⟨-e⟩, matching Middle Low German dôpe and Middle High German toufe (modern German Taufe); the Gothic noun 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐍀𐌴𐌹𐌽𐍃 (daupeins) has a different suffix.^[5][1]

The verb is a causative *daupjan- (“to dip”) from the root of diep, literally “to make deep, put in the depth”, and is the same word as Gothic 𐌳𐌰𐌿𐍀𐌾𐌰𐌽 (daupjan) and Old Saxon dōpian.^[2][6] Its Christian sense is often traced to the Gothic Bible, which rendered Ancient Greek βάπτω (báptō) with ⟨daupjan⟩, and to Gothic missionaries; the EWN thinks an independent loan translation of Ecclesiastical Latin baptizō is also possible.^[2] The noun took on the same Christian meaning.^[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old Dutch doupha is first recorded about 1100 in the Egmond Williram, which speaks of souls that have been made young again “in the baptism”.^[3][2] The VMNW's oldest Middle Dutch record is an eastern Brabant text of 1276, where St Christina runs to a church and finds a font of baptism open.^[7]

Semantic evolution

Besides the sacrament the word kept the general sense “dipping”, used for example of hardening hot metal in water (1908).^[8] In the plural it meant the baptisms entered in a register (1754). From the 16th century come the phrases een kind ten doop brengen “to bring a child to be baptized” (1566), ten doop heffen and over een kind ten doop staan “to stand godparent”.^[8] Doop could also be a sauce into which food was dipped (1612), a sense still used by sailors.^[8]

Today it also means a festive inauguration: a new book is ten doop gehouden, presented, and ships' crews hold a doop onder de linie on crossing the equator; in Belgium it is also the hazing of new students.^[9][1] The sense “sauce” went into English as dope, and the religious sense into Sranan Tongo dopu, Indonesian dop and Negerhollands doop.^[10][1]

Timeline

• 1100 – Old Dutch doupha appears in the Egmond Williram.^[3][2]
• 1276 – Middle Dutch dope is recorded in eastern Brabant.^[7]
• 1566 – Te doop brengen “to bring to baptism” is recorded.^[8]
• 1581 – Eenen doop, one baptism, is named beside one faith and one God.^[8]
• 1612 – Doop is used for a sauce.^[8]
• 1754 – The plural doopen is used for registered baptisms.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. baptism, christening: sprinkling with or immersion in water as the sign of entering a church and of the washing away of sin.^[9][1]
2. A festive inauguration or launch.^[9]
3. (Belgium) The hazing of new students.^[9][1]
4. (dated) A dipping; a sauce for dipping.^[8]

Word family

• doopvont
• doopbewijs
• doopboek
• doopfeest
• doopgetuige
• doopjurk
• doopnaam
• doopplechtigheid
• doopregister
• doopsgezind
• dopeling
• kinderdoop
• nooddoop
• vuurdoop
• wederdoop

Related words

• dopen
• doopsel
• diep
• dippen

Usage notes

Iets ten doop houden is to present something new with ceremony, such as a book.^[9] The doop onder de linie is the ceremony for those on board a ship who cross the equator for the first time.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
4. ^ Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
5. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 107
6. ^ a b Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
7. ^ a b 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
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b c d e f Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
10. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)