Stof

Stof is a Dutch noun with several related meanings, primarily referring to substance or material, and also to dust. In everyday language and scientific contexts, stof denotes matter that has a definite composition and properties, such as chemical substances or types of material used in making things.

In science and industry, the word is used to talk about chemical substances (chemische stof) and the properties of materials (stofeigenschappen). The plural form stoffen is common when referring to multiple substances, or to categories of materials. In textiles, stof also means fabric or cloth, so phrases like katoenen stof describe a cotton fabric.

Stof is also used to describe particulate matter in the air and household dust. The term appears in everyday expressions related to cleaning and air quality, as in stof in the lucht or in the name of devices that remove dust, such as stofzuiger (vacuum cleaner). The broader sense of stof can apply metaphorically as well, indicating something that has form or content.

Common Dutch idioms and phrases involving stof include stof tot nadenken (something to contemplate) and tot stof vergaan (to crumble to dust), illustrating the word’s flexibility across literal and figurative usage.

Etymologically, stof has deep roots in Dutch and related Germanic languages, reflecting its long-standing role in describing materials, substances, and particulate matter. See also related terms such as substance, material, and dust in cross-linguistic contexts.