groot Dutch · revision 37207

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1177–1187, Old Dutch (place name Grotenflit)|origins=gem-pro *grautaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɣroːt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''groot''' (comparative groter, superlative grootst)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|groot]], [[inh|odt|grōt]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*graut]], [[inh|gem-pro|*grautaz]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(ONW) The same word is [[osx|grōt]], [[goh|grōz|t=very large]] (modern [[de|groß]]), [[ofs|grāt]] (modern [[fy|grut]]) and [[ang|grēat|t=coarse, large]] (modern [[en|great]]).^(EWN)^(Kroonen 2013) It is found only in West Germanic and is therefore probably a fairly late word.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

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+ Its form is identical with [[non|grautr|t=porridge]], and the Philippa dictionary and De Vries therefore think the first meaning may have been “coarse-grained”, relating it to [[gort]] and [[grut]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|151) Kroonen takes it as a regular o-grade adjective to the strong verb [[gem-pro|*greutaną|alt=*greutan-|t=to grind]], meaning “coarse” at first and “big” only later in West Germanic;^(Kroonen 2013)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary traces the verb to [[ine-pro|*gʰrewd-|t=to rub, grind]].^(Kroonen 2013)^(Wiktionary) Franck–Van Wijk and the Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal still called the origin uncertain.^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(WNT)

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+ The older Germanic adjective for “big” was [[gem-pro|*mikilaz|alt=*mikila-]], which had almost disappeared from Old and Middle Dutch: it is Middle Dutch [[m|dum|mēkel]], [[m|odt|mikil]], [[got|𐌼𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐍃|tr=mikils]] and [[non|mikill]], and English [[m|en|much]] comes from it.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Kroonen 2013) It survives in place names such as Mecklenburg, “the great fortress”, and Mekkelhorst in Twente, and it is related to [[la|magnus]] and [[grc|μέγας|tr=mégas]], from [[ine-pro|*meǵh₂-|t=great]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971) The Philippa dictionary compares the replacement with Latin ⟨magnus⟩ giving way to ⟨grandis⟩ in the Romance languages, and English ⟨great⟩ to ⟨big⟩ and ⟨large⟩.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The word first appears in Old Dutch place names in Zeeland: ''Grotenflit'' “great stream”, a lost place near Cadzand (1177–1187), and ''Grotmeda'' “great hayland” on Walcheren (1180–1210).^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(ONW) Middle Dutch ''grot'' appears around 1240, and in the 13th century the word could already mean “adult”, “large”, “huge”, “considerable”, “lofty” and “much”.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch ''groot'' was used of tall people and large animals, and of the powerful and eminent: from 1301 it is a byname of rulers, as in ''Hughe de grote''.^(MNW) ''Groot met enen'' meant to be in someone's favour, and it lives on in ''groot zijn met iemand'', to be close friends with someone.^(MNW)^(Stoett 1923) The adverb meant “very”, as in ''groet willecome'' “very welcome” (1265).^(VMNW) A trading phrase ''in groots'' “wholesale” (1256) was later replaced by ''in het groot''.^(MNW)

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+ The sense “grown-up” is behind sayings such as ''Kleyne kinders worden groot'' (1632).^(WNT) In children's language ''een grote boodschap doen'' is to defecate, a joking euphemism for going off on an errand.^(Stoett 1923)^(Van Dale 2014)

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+ Dutch carried the word overseas: Negerhollands had ''groot'' and ''grooto'', Berbice Dutch ''groto'' “old; master”, Petjoh ''groot'' “grown up”, and South African English took ''groot'' “big, important” through Afrikaans.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1177–1187 – The place name ''Grotenflit'' near Cadzand is recorded.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * c. 1240 – Middle Dutch ''grot'' appears.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1256 – ''In groots'' “wholesale” is recorded.^(MNW)

+ * 1265 – The adverb appears in ''groet willecome'' “very welcome”.^(VMNW)

+ * 1288 – ''Groot'' as the name of a coin is first recorded.^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * 1301 – ''De grote'' is used as a byname of rulers.^(MNW)

+ * 1632 – ''Kleyne kinders worden groot'' “little children grow up” is recorded.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|big]], [[m|en|large]]: of more than the usual size, of things, people and animals.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|tall]].^(Wiktionary)^(WNT)

+ # Considerable, of more than normal extent, of abstract things: ''een grote vergissing''.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # [[m|en|adult]], grown-up: ''grote mensen'' are adults.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Great, being to a high degree what the noun says: ''Hij is een grote liefhebber van jazz.''^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # Important, [[m|en|eminent]]: ''de groten der aarde'', the rich and powerful.^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of the size stated: ''Het perceel is drie hectare groot.''^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[grootte]]

+ * [[groots]]

+ * [[grootheid]]

+ * [[vergroten]]

+ * [[grotendeels]]

+ * [[grootmoeder]]

+ * [[grootvader]]

+ * [[grootouder]]

+ * [[grootbrengen]]

+ * [[groothandel]]

+ * [[grootmacht]]

+ * [[overgroot]]

+ * [[middelgroot]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gort]]

+ * [[grut]]

+ * [[en|great]]

+ * [[de|groß]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate noun ''groot'' named an old silver coin worth half a stuiver;^(De Vries 1971)^(WNT)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(Van Dale 2014) Middle Dutch ''grôte'' is the adjective used as a noun, after Medieval Latin ''grossus'', French ''gros'' and Italian ''grosso'' “thick (coin)”.^(De Vries 1971)^(WNT)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)^(Van Dale 2014) The Flemish groat spread from the Low Countries, and English ''groat'' (from 1362) was borrowed from it.^(De Vries 1971)^(Van Haeringen 1936)^(Van der Sijs 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}