Gezellen

Gezellen is a Dutch plural noun that denotes people who accompany someone on a journey, ceremony, or event—companions, attendants, or members of an entourage. The term is typically used for individuals who form part of a principal’s retinue. In historical or literary contexts, gezellen could refer to a noble’s retinue, including guards, pages, musicians, advisers, or other attendants.

The related verb vergezellen means to accompany someone. The noun and the verb share a common semantic field, but they function as different parts of speech in sentences.

Etymology and usage notes: Gezellen derives from Middle Dutch gezelle(n) and is related to gezelschap, the word for “company” or “crowd.” In older and formal Dutch, gezellen frequently appears in descriptions of ceremonial or courtly life, travel with a ruler, or religious or diplomatic entourages.

Modern usage: In contemporary Dutch, gezellen is relatively formal or literary and is more commonly found in historical writing, literature, or formal narration than in everyday speech. It emphasizes the social relationship of accompaniment and the presence of a group around a central figure.

See also: gezelschap, vergezellen.