Etymologically
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vriendin

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Pronunciation

  • /vrinˈdɪn/[1]

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
  • 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