Wezig

Wezig is a Dutch adjective meaning present, existing, or in attendance. It describes a state of being in a place or moment, or the existence of something within a given context. In everyday Dutch, the word is generally understood as indicating presence or existence, but for referring to people and their attendance at an event, other terms such as aanwezig or aanwezigheid are more commonly used.

Etymology and history

The word wezen (to be, to exist) is a linguistic root for several Dutch forms related to being. Wezig is formed with the adjectival suffix -ig, yielding a term that expresses the quality of existence or presence. The form is found in Middle Dutch and survives in modern Dutch, where it remains a standard, if somewhat formal, way to describe presence or existence.

Usage and nuance

In contemporary Dutch, wezig tends to appear in more formal or written contexts and in combination with nouns that denote presence or existence in a given place or document. For people and events, aan- of aanwezigheid is more common in ordinary speech and writing. The related noun hebben of aanwezigheid (presence) is frequently used to discuss attendance, while wezig covers the broader sense of being present or existing in a state or location. Overall, wezig signals a state of existence rather than the act of attending, which is typically expressed with aanwezig or aanwezigheid.

See also

Aanwezigheid, Afwezigheid, Wezen, Dutch adjectives, Dutch etymology.