vriendin

Forms

vriendin f (plural vriendinnen, diminutive vriendinnetje n, masculine vriend)^[1] The ending -inne was the only one until 1600; after 1800 vriendinne is found only in Conscience and a few dictionaries.^[2] Middle Dutch also had vrindinne, vrendinne and vrundinne.^[3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle Dutch vriendinne, inherited from Old Dutch friundinna (“female friend, beloved”), formed with the suffix -inna, which makes nouns for women, on friunt (“friend”).^[4][5][1] In modern terms it is vriend with -in.^[1][6][7] The same formation is Middle Low German vrundinne and Middle High German vriundinne, modern German Freundin.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word first appears in the Old Dutch text from Egmond of about 1100, always with a possessive after it: friundinna min “my beloved”.^[4] In Middle Dutch it is first found in Brabant around 1265, where Lutgart is called die gods vrindinne “the friend of God”.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Middle Dutch vriendinne meant a female friend, a beloved, and also a mistress or concubine.^[3] In charters it was a courteous word: a Bruges charter of 1291 calls a woman of the town onser lieuer vriendinnen “our dear friend”, and the beguinage of Mechelen spoke of a fellow beguine as onse liue vrintdinne in onsen here.^[5]

The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal records it at the head or end of letters, as in 1621, when Marie Reigersberch signed a letter from her prison cell as the addressee's vriendinne.^[2] With van it named a woman fond of something, and figuratively the moon was called een vriendinne van rust en stilte (1634).^[2] Once, in 1664, it is used for a female relative.^[2] The diminutive vriendinnetje is a little girl's playmate (1867).^[2] Besides a female friend the word now also means a girlfriend, a woman in a love relationship.^[6][8]

Afrikaans has vriendin.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 1100 – Old Dutch friundinna min “my beloved” appears in the Egmond text.^[4]
• c. 1265 – Middle Dutch vrindinne is first recorded, in Brabant.^[5]
• 1291 – Bruges charters use lieve vriendinne of a townswoman.^[5]
• 1526 – A text has vriendinnen ende naburinnen “friends and neighbours”.^[2]
• 1621 – Marie Reigersberch signs a letter as vriendinne.^[2]
• 1867 – The diminutive vriendinnetje is used of young playmates.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A female friend: Ze gaat met twee vriendinnen op vakantie.^[6][8][1]
2. A girlfriend, a woman someone has a romantic relationship with: Hij stelde zijn nieuwe vriendin voor aan zijn ouders.^[6][8][1]

Word family

• bedvriendin
• boezemvriendin
• hartsvriendin
• schoolvriendin
• vriendinnenkring
• vriendinnetje

Related words

• vriend
• vriendschap
• German Freundin

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c Verwijs, Eelco; Verdam, Jacob (1885–1929), Middelnederlandsch woordenboek, 11 vols., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff; gtb.ivdnt.org
4. ^ a b c Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org
5. ^ a b c d e 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
6. ^ a b c d Algemeen Nederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; anw.ivdnt.org
7. ^ WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org
8. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers