Afscheidet

Afscheidet is a form related to the Dutch verb afscheiden, which means to separate or to secrete. In standard modern Dutch the present-tense third-person singular form is written as scheidt af (two words), while afscheidet is not considered correct in contemporary usage. The verb belongs to a class of separable verbs that combine with a particle to express a process of removal, division, or excretion. The past tense is scheidde af, and the past participle is afgescheiden.

Main meanings and usage

- Secretion or excretion: in biology and medicine, afscheiden describes glands or cells releasing substances. For example, de lever scheidt gal af (the liver secretes bile). Hormonen afscheiden (to secrete hormones) is another common usage.

- Separation of components: in chemistry, physics, or materials processing, afscheiden refers to separating substances within a mixture, such as through distillation or filtration. Distillatie scheidt de componenten van een mengsel.

- Figurative or abstract separation: the term can be used more broadly to denote distinguishing or separating concepts, groups, or data.

Related terms

- Afscheid (farewell): a related noun meaning departure or the act of saying goodbye. The common phrase afscheid nemen van iemand means to bid farewell to someone.

- Afscheider (separator): a device or entity that performs the act of separation.

- Afscheiding (secretion, separation): the noun form used in scientific or general contexts.

Etymology

Originates from af- (away) combined with scheiden (to separate), reflecting the core sense of removing or dividing something from something else.