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vanavond

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Etymology and origin of the Dutch word vanavond

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
1784
Ultimate origin
Proto-Germanic *fanā,*ābanþ
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Dutch van
Dutch vanavond
Derived words
Dutch vandaag ← van

Pronunciation

  • /ˌvɑˈnaː.vɔnt/[1]

Forms

vanavond[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Dutch van + avond, the preposition van with avond “evening”, a fixed phrase that came to be written as one word.[2][1][3] According to the EWN it was made on the model of vandaag, a contraction of Middle Dutch van den daghe (“on this day”) with ⟨vanden⟩ reduced to ⟨van⟩; vanmorgen, vanochtend and vanmiddag were formed in the same way.[4] The same formation is Low German vanabend.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal's earliest quotation is from 1784: Van avond is hier eene Dansparty, “there is a dance here this evening”.[2] Earlier Dutch also said van dezen avond, as in 1613.[2]

Semantic evolution

In 1948 the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal noted that the word was now mostly written as one;[2] van dezen avond had become obsolete.[2] It refers both to the coming evening and to the evening just past.[3][5]

Afrikaans has vanaand, Jersey Dutch had van âvond, and Negerhollands fanadunku.[1][6]

Timeline

  • 1613 – Van desen avont “this evening”.[2]
  • 1784 – Van avond, the earliest quotation of the modern form.[2]
  • 1948 – The word is mostly written as one.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. This evening, tonight: on the evening of the present day, whether still to come or already past: Vanavond gaan we uit eten. Heb je vanavond het nieuws gezien?[7][5][3][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
  6. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
  7. ^ Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
Cite this entry

“Vanavond.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/nl/vanavond. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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