Ogenblik

Ogenblik is a Dutch noun meaning a very short period of time, typically translated as moment or instant. In contemporary Dutch the standard form is het ogenblik, with een ogenblik used for an indefinite reference; the one-word spelling ogenblik is rare and usually considered archaic or nonstandard.

Origin and cognates: It is formed from ogen (eye) and blik (glance), reflecting the idea that a moment can pass as quickly as a glance. The word is cognate with the German Augenblick; in English the closest equivalents are moment or instant.

Usage: It denotes a brief moment and is common in both speech and writing. Typical phrases include "even een ogenblik" (just a moment) and "in een ogenblik" (in an instant). In neutral prose, the standard two-word form is preferred; the one-word variant may appear in older texts or as a typographical variant.

Variants and related terms: Its diminutive form is ogenblikje. Related terms include moment and the idiom "oogwenk" (in a blink of an eye) in expressions such as "in een oogwenk." See also the German cognate Augenblick for cross-linguistic reference.