Etymologically
Log in

vol

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 21 October 2026 at 15:54. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

Forms

vol (comparative voller, superlative volst)[1] Older and regional Dutch also has vul.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch vol, inherited from Old Dutch fol, inherited from Proto-West Germanic *full, inherited from Proto-Germanic *fullaz (“full”).[4][1][5] The same word is Old Saxon ful, Old High German fol (modern German voll), Old Frisian ful, Old English full (modern English full), Old Norse fullr and Gothic 𐍆𐌿𐌻𐌻𐍃 (fulls).[4][6][5]

The Germanic stem *fulla- arose by assimilation from older *fulna-, from Proto-Indo-European *plh₁-nó-, originally a participle “filled” of the root Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill, become full”).[4][5][7][1] Related are Latin plēnus, Sanskrit पूर्ण (pūrṇá), Avestan pərəna, Lithuanian pìlnas and Old Irish lán, all “full”.[4][5][7] With other suffixes the same root gave Latin -pleō (“to fill”) and Ancient Greek πλήρης (plḗrēs, “full”).[4][6] The EWN also connects veel and volk, and the verb vullen is derived from the adjective.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century daga folla “full days” renders the Latin of the Psalter; the editors of the Old Dutch dictionary think it may mean happy days or a long life.[8][4][9] Willeram's paraphrase of about 1100 has min hoiuet is fol douwes, “my head is full of dew”, with the genitive of what fills.[8][4]

Semantic evolution

A Limburg glossary of 1240 gives vol for Latin plenus and in compounds such as vol crudes “full of herbs”, and by 1265–1270 the adjective also meant “complete”, as in vollen danc “all thanks”.[10][4] In Middle Dutch it combined freely with verbs in the sense “to the end, thoroughly”: volhoren “to hear out”, volleven “to live to the end” and volspreken “to say in full” are all of the 13th century.[4] A few survive, such as volbrengen and voldoen, and some only as participles with meanings of their own: volkomen, volwassen, volstrekt.[4]

Middle Dutch put the contents in the genitive or after van.[3] Phrases such as een hand vol (van) became the compound handvol.[2] Iemand de volle laag geven, to let fly at someone with reproaches, comes from firing a whole row of a warship's guns at once.[11] A volle neef was first the son of one's brother or sister and is now usually a first cousin.[12]

Dutch vol was borrowed into Indonesian, Javanese and Jakarta Malay as pol “full; at full volume; fully paid”, into Manado Malay and Surinamese Javanese as fol, and into Negerhollands and Berbice Dutch (folo).[13][1] Afrikaans has vol.[1]

Timeline

  • 901–1000 – Daga folla “full days” appears in the Wachtendonck Psalms.[8][9]
  • c. 1100 – Willeram writes min hoiuet is fol douwes.[8][4]
  • 1240 – A Limburg glossary translates Latin plenus as uol.[10]
  • 1265–1270 – Vol is used for “complete”, in vollen danc.[4][10]
  • 1526 – A text speaks of a hant vol asscen “handful of ashes”.[2]
  • 1653 – Tot den boorde vol “full to the brim” is recorded.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. full, filled so that nothing more fits: De trein zat helemaal vol.[12][1]
  2. Full, rounded, plump: een vol gezicht.[12]
  3. Covered all over: Zijn jas zat vol modder.[12]
  4. complete, whole, lacking nothing: een vol jaar.[12][1]
  5. Being wholly what the noun names, at its height: in de volle zomer.[12]
  6. Of dairy products: whole, with the fat kept in: volle melk.[1]

Word family

  • volhouden
  • volledig
  • volslank
  • volstaan
  • volwassen
  • volte
  • volbloed
  • volharden
  • volkomen
  • volmacht
  • volmondig
  • volop
  • vullen
  • volbrengen
  • voldoen
  • voltooien
  • voltrekken
  • volstrekt
  • handvol
  • volheid

Usage notes

Iemand voor vol aanzien is to take someone seriously.[12] De buik vol hebben van iets is to be fed up with it.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d 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 Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 c d Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b Orel, Vladimir (2003), A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, Leiden / Boston: Brill
  8. ^ a b c d Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; 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 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. ^ Stoett, F. A. (1923–1925), Nederlandsche spreekwoorden, spreekwijzen, uitdrukkingen en gezegden, 4th ed., 3 vols., Zutphen: Thieme
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
  13. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)