Gestorvenen

Gestorvenen is a Dutch noun phrase meaning the deceased or the dead. It designates people who have died and is commonly used in formal or commemorative language. The term is formed from the verb sterven (to die) and the past participle gestorven, with the plural definite article de to yield de gestorvenen.

Usage and nuance: Gestorvenen is more formal or literary than everyday terms such as overledenen. It is often found in obituaries, memorial writings, religious ceremonies, and official commemorations. The singular form is typically een gestorvene or de gestorvene, while the plural refers to multiple individuals who have died, de gestorvenen. The word emphasizes the act or state of death and is frequently used in contexts that memorialize or honor those who have died.

Related terms and distinctions: Omgekomenen refers to people who died as a result of a specific incident, accident, or event, while overledenen is a broader, more neutral term for the deceased. In Dutch memorial practice, phrases such as Herdenken van de gestorvenen or gedenken van de gestorvenen appear alongside other commemorations.

Example usage: Tijdens de herdenking worden de gestorvenen van de oorlog herdacht. De gestorvenen worden in de liturgie genoemd als onderdeel van de herinnering aan degenen die zijn overleden.

See also: overledenen, omgekomenen.

Note: The term is generally lowercase unless at the beginning of a sentence or in a title.