ijdel
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch idel, from Old Dutch īdil, from Proto-Germanic *īdalaz. Cognate with German eitel, English idle.
The common Dutch loss of medial -d- led to the by-forms ijl and iel, which eventually acquired different meanings.
Pronunciation
Audio: (file) - Rhymes: -ɛi̯dəl
Adjective
ijdel (comparative ijdeler, superlative ijdelst)
- vain, overly proud (of one's appearance, status etc.)
- idle, in vain, unfounded
- petty, mere, insignificant, worthless
Declension
| Declension of ijdel | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uninflected | ijdel | |||
| inflected | ijdele | |||
| comparative | ijdeler | |||
| positive | comparative | superlative | ||
| predicative/adverbial | ijdel | ijdeler | het ijdelst het ijdelste | |
| indefinite | m./f. sing. | ijdele | ijdelere | ijdelste |
| n. sing. | ijdel | ijdeler | ijdelste | |
| plural | ijdele | ijdelere | ijdelste | |
| definite | ijdele | ijdelere | ijdelste | |
| partitive | ijdels | ijdelers | — | |
Derived terms
- ijdelheid
- ijdeltuit
- verijdelen