Algeemeen

Algeemeen is not a standard or widely recognized Dutch word. In contemporary Dutch, the correct spelling for the general sense is algemeen. When algeemeen appears, it is usually considered a misspelling, a typo, or a non-standard/dialectal variant rather than a separate entry in the language.

Algemeen means general, common, or overall. It is used to describe broad characteristics, general principles, or the general public, and it forms common phrases such as in het algemeen (on the whole), algemeen beleid (general policy), algemene kenmerken (general features), and algemene bevolking (general public). The term also appears in fixed expressions like algeheel, which conveys a sense of total or overall.

Algeheel is a related word meaning overall or total, and it is distinct from algemeen in typical usage. For example, algeheel gezond refers to overall health, while algemeen gezondheid is less common and awkward; daarom wordt doorgaans gezegd: “over het algemeen” of “in het algemeen.”

Spelling and usage notes: editors and style guides generally advise against algeemeen in modern Dutch. If encountered, it should be corrected to algemeen, unless it appears in a specific historical or dialectal text where nonstandard spellings may be intentional.

See also: algemeen, algeheel, in het algemeen, algemene (as a noun form het algemeen).