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klinken

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Etymology and origin of the Dutch word klinken

klinken1 to sound

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Inherited
First attested
1285, Middle Dutch (West Flanders)
Inherited from
Proto-Germanic *klinganą via Middle Dutch, Old Dutch
Ultimate origin
Proto-Germanic *klinganą

Pronunciation

  • /ˈklɪŋ.kə(n)/[1]

Forms

klinken[1] Middle Dutch had both clinken and clingen; the two forms lived side by side until the 17th century, when klingen went out of use.[2][3] West Flemish still has klingen, klong, geklongen.[3]

Etymology

To sound is inherited from Middle Dutch clinken, beside clingen, inherited from Old Dutch *clingan, inherited from Proto-Germanic *klinganą (“to sound”).[2][1] The same verb is Old High German klingan (modern German klingen) and Old Frisian klinga, and Middle English has clynke, modern English clink.[2][4][5] The EWN and De Vries and De Tollenaere call it a sound-imitating word, like klak.[2][6]

Kroonen takes the form with /g/ as the older one: the /k/ of *klinkan- was taken from an iterative verb that stood beside it, and he sees no etymology beyond an imitation of sound, like Latin clangō (“to clang”).[7] De Vries asks whether it might belong with the Latin verb after all and have come into Germanic from a pre-Germanic substrate after the sound shift.[8] Franck and Van Wijk find it impossible to decide how far it is related to that word and to clynnan (“to sound, knock”).[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb is first recorded in the Rijmbijbel, written in West Flanders in 1285: om dat coper clinket clare “because copper rings clear”, explaining why Alexander is called a copper king.[10][2][11] A text of 1300–1350 says a singer sang so clear that the whole wood rang.[2]

Semantic evolution

From the sound of metal and voices the verb came to be used of names and words that make an impression: in 1566 a text speaks of clijnckende names of theologians, and in 1567 a cure would be a clijnckende mirakel “a resounding miracle”.[5] Klinken als een klok “to ring like a bell” meant both to sound loud and, figuratively, to be first-rate, as in a party that klinkt als een klok (1782).[5][12] Today the verb also means “to make a certain impression”, as in dat klinkt vreemd, and “to clink glasses” in a toast.[12][13]

Stoett explains holle vaten klinken het meest “empty barrels sound loudest” as those who know least talk loudest.[14] De Vreese condemned het uur heeft geklonken “the hour has struck” as a gallicism after French l'heure sonne.[15] In Flemish dialects klinken is also “to ring the doorbell”.[16][17] The verb was borrowed into Swedish klinga and Negerhollands kling, and through French clinquant “tinsel” into English.[18][8]

Timeline

  • 1285 – Clinken “to ring” is first recorded, in the West Flemish Rijmbijbel.[10][11]
  • 1300–1350 – A singer's voice makes a whole wood ring.[2]
  • 1511 – Mynen voys clynckende jnt herte “my voice ringing in the heart” is recorded.[5]
  • 1566 – The participle clijnckende is used of impressive names.[5]
  • 17th century – The variant klingen goes out of use.[2]
  • 1782 – A party that klinkt als een klok is a first-rate one.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (intransitive) to sound, ring: give out a clear, audible sound: De bel klonk door het hele gebouw.[12][1]
  2. (intransitive) to make a certain impression, to sound: Zijn plan klinkt eenvoudig.[12]
  3. (intransitive) to clink glasses, touch one's glass against another's in a toast.[12][1]

Word family

  • klinker
  • medeklinker
  • weerklinken
  • naklinken
  • meeklinken
  • doorklinken
  • klinkletter

klinken2 to rivet

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Inherited
First attested
1350, Middle Dutch
Inherited from
Proto-Germanic *klinganą via Middle Dutch
Ultimate origin
Proto-Germanic *klinganą

Pronunciation

  • /ˈklɪŋ.kə(n)/[1]

Forms

klinken[1]

Etymology

To rivet is inherited from Middle Dutch clinken, beside clingen (“to stick, cling”), inherited from Proto-Germanic *klinganą (“to adhere to, cling to”).[2][1][7] It is the same verb as Low German klingen (“to shrivel”), Old High German klingan (“to curl”), Middle High German klingen (“to climb”) and Old English clingan (“to shrink, shrivel”), whence English cling, from a Proto-Germanic verb “to cling”; beside it stood a causative seen in klenkan (“to fasten firmly”) and -clencan, modern clench and clinch.[2][7] The further origin is unclear, the EWN says;[2][1] Wiktionary traces it to Proto-Indo-European *gley- (“to glue, stick together”).[2][1]

The old Middle Dutch senses were intransitive, “to stick fast, stay stuck”, and in the EWN's view the modern verb took over the meaning of a causative Middle Dutch *clenken (“to fasten”), as verdrinken took over that of verdrenken.[2] The idea of fastening by striking may have been strengthened by klinken1 “to sound”.[2] The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal treats the uses in one article, but notes that it is not sure all of them belong to the same verb.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A man called Petrus Clinkespore is named in 1294.[2] In Middle Dutch of 1350–1400 a good sword in den vloer clanc “stuck half a foot deep in the ground”, and a surgical text of 1351 says the egg white dries and clinget an dbeen “sticks to the leg” under the bandage.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to fasten by striking” is dated to 1350.[11][13] In early modern Dutch the verb meant “to make by hammering”, as in a cup van zelvere al fraey gecloncken “finely wrought of silver” (1567), and “to fix by hammering”, as in klinckt d'ysre spijckers door de handen heen “drive the iron nails through the hands” (1641).[2][5] It was used of chaining prisoners, of ships built of overlapping planks, and above all of riveting metal parts with a klinknagel.[5] From this verb comes the noun klink “latch”, already Middle Dutch in 1240.[2]

The old intransitive senses left few traces, but in the 20th century klinken is again used for inklinken, of ground that settles.[2] Het is geklonken, as in Vondel, means “the matter is settled”, especially of an engagement;[14] Stoett explains it as “fixed as if nailed”.[14] Danish and Norwegian klinke and Papiamentu klinchi “to rivet” were borrowed from it.[18][1]

Timeline

  • 1240 – The derivative clinke “latch” is recorded in the Bernardus glossary.[2]
  • 1294 – The name Petrus Clinkespore is recorded.[2]
  • 1350 – Clinken “to fasten by striking” is first dated.[11]
  • 1351 – Egg white clinget “sticks” to a leg.[2][3]
  • 1567 – A silver cup is fraey gecloncken “finely wrought”.[2][5]
  • 1641 – Iron nails are geklonken through the hands.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (transitive) to rivet: shape the end of a rivet into a head by hammering.[12][1]
  2. (transitive) to join metal parts by hammering or forging.[12]
  3. (transitive) to nail, fasten, clinch.[12][1]

Word family

  • klink
  • klinknagel
  • klinkhamer
  • beklinken
  • inklinken
  • vastklinken
  • ontklinken
  • English clink
  • English cling
  • German klingen

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 r s t u v w x 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 Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  4. ^ Haeringen, C. B. van (1936), Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal: Supplement, 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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
  6. ^ Vries, Jan de; Tollenaere, Félicien de (2004), Etymologisch woordenboek: onze woorden, hun oorsprong en ontwikkeling, 23rd ed., Utrecht: Het Spectrum, p. 197
  7. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  8. ^ a b Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
  10. ^ 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
  11. ^ a b c d Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  13. ^ a b WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
  14. ^ a b c Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
  15. ^ Vreese, Willem de (1899), Gallicismen in het Zuidnederlandsch, Gent: Siffer
  16. ^ Debrabandere, Frans (2002), West-Vlaams etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van de West-Vlaamse woorden, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Atlas
  17. ^ Debrabandere, Frans (2005), Oost-Vlaams en Zeeuws-Vlaams etymologisch woordenboek, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Atlas
  18. ^ a b Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)

Related etymologies

  • voor · also from Proto-Germanic
  • kunnen · also from Proto-Germanic
  • zullen · also from Proto-Germanic
  • weten · also from Proto-Germanic
  • willen · also from Proto-Germanic
  • als · also from Proto-Germanic
  • doen · also from Proto-Germanic
  • met · also from Proto-Germanic
Cite this entry

“Klinken.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/nl/klinken. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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