Grond

Grond is a Dutch noun with several closely related meanings centered on earth, land, and foundation. In its most concrete sense, grond means soil or earth: the material that makes up the upper layers of the land and that supports plant life. It is used for garden soil, fields, and soil types (grondsoort). Grond also refers to the surface of the land itself, the ground under one’s feet.

In a figurative sense, grond denotes a basis or foundation for something. The phrase op grond van means based on or grounded in, and a reason or basis for a claim can be called a grond. This sense is common in legal and administrative language, with related terms such as grondslag (foundation or basis), grondwet (constitution), and grondgebied (territory or area).

Grond can also refer to land as property or real estate, not just soil. In everyday language, een stuk grond means a parcel of land, and the term is often used in agricultural, construction, and real estate contexts.

Etymology and relation to other languages: grond is cognate with the English word ground and the German Grund, all tracing back to Proto-Germanic roots meaning earth, base, or bottom. Related Dutch terms include bodem (soil or bottom) and aarde (earth).

Overall, grond functions as a versatile term spanning natural science, everyday speech, and law, reflecting both the physical substance of the earth and the abstract idea of a foundation.