Afgelijnde

Afgelijnde is a Dutch adjective formed from the verb aflijnen, meaning to delineate or set boundaries. It is used to describe something that has been clearly defined, bounded, or specified, such as a plan, scope, route, or area. In practice, an afgelijnde element is one for which the limits or criteria are explicitly established.

The word derives from af- (a prefix indicating separation or removal) combined with lijnen, related to lijnen (lines). The past participle afgelijnd functions as an attributive adjective, and in contexts where it modifies a feminine or plural noun, it takes the ending -e (for example, afgelijnde route, afgelijnde grenzen).

Common contexts for afgelijnde usage include urban planning, data management, legal or contractual documents, and project management, where clearly defined boundaries or criteria are essential. Examples include afgelijnde grenzen (clearly defined borders), afgelijnde criteria (defined criteria), or afgelijnde taken (defined tasks). The term emphasizes clarity and the absence of ambiguity, often in contrast to more vague or open-ended formulations.

RelatedDutch terms include afbakening (delimitation, the act of setting boundaries) and afgebakend (delimited or bounded). While afgelijnde emphasizes the state of being delineated, afbakening highlights the process of establishing boundaries, and both are used to describe contrasted levels of specificity in plans, rules, or landscapes.

See also: aflijnen, afbakening, afgebakend.