Scheeps

Scheeps- is a Dutch derivational prefix meaning ship or nautical, used to form compound nouns and adjectives related to ships and maritime activities. It is not a standalone word and does not function as the plural or possessive form of schip. The prefix attaches to stems to indicate a nautical relation, typically in formal or technical vocabulary.

Origin and form: Scheeps- derives from the older Dutch word scheep for ship; modern everyday Dutch uses schip, but the prefix scheeps- remains productive. It appears in a wide range of terms such as scheepsvaart (shipping industry or maritime transport), scheepswerf (shipyard), scheepsbouw (shipbuilding), scheepsromp (ship hull), and scheepsnaam (ship’s name).

Usage and scope: The prefix is common in infrastructure, industry, law, and scholarly language dealing with vessels, navigation, and maritime affairs. It signals the nautical context of the related term and helps distinguish ship-related concepts from general or land-based ones.

Related terms and examples: Other common compounds include scheepsvaartwet or scheepsrecht in legal and regulatory contexts. While in everyday speech the word schip is used, scheeps- appears in technical and bureaucratic terms to preserve precision about maritime subjects.

See also: schip; scheepsvaart; scheepswerf; scheepsbouw; scheepsrecht.