Stuit

Stuit is a Dutch noun with several related meanings. In anatomical and colloquial use, it refers to the tailbone region, including the coccyx. The diminutive stuitje is often used to denote the tailbone specifically or the small bony area at the base of the spine, and in casual speech people may refer to sitting on one’s stuit when describing contact with the buttocks or lower back.

In figurative language, stuit can denote an obstacle or impediment that hinders progress. The sense conveys a stopping point or snag that blocks forward movement, similar to how an obstacle can impede plans in other languages. This figurative use appears in everyday Dutch to describe setbacks or difficulties encountered in a process.

The verb stuiten is related, meaning to hinder, thwart, or prevent progress, and the noun form captures the notion of a stopping point or obstruction. The etymology traces to older Dutch forms connected with stopping or striking against, though precise historical development is not always explicit in contemporary usage.

Stuit occurs in various Dutch compounds and expressions, and while most speakers will recognize the anatomical sense, the figurative usage is common in writing and speech when describing delays or impediments. Aside from these core senses, there are limited domain-specific uses, but the primary meanings remain the tailbone region and the concept of a hindrance.