aangetaste

Aangetaste is a Dutch term used as an adjective meaning “affected,” “touched,” or “damaged,” derived from the verb aantasten (to affect or damage). The standard past participle is aangetast, but aangetaste appears as an inflected form when the adjective modifies a feminine singular noun or a plural noun in attributive position.

In usage, aangetaste typically describes physical or figurative impact. Examples include aangetaste gebieden (affected areas), aangetaste cellen (affected cells), or een aangetaste reputatie (an affected reputation). It can refer to ecosystems, structures, populations, or institutions that have undergone damage or influence due to external factors such as climate events, pollution, conflict, or policy changes. The term is common in journalism, environmental science, medicine, and law.

Orthography and inflection play a role in how aangetaste is employed. The standard past participle used in many contexts remains aangetast, while aangetaste appears in attributive position to agree with feminine singular or plural nouns. In some texts or stylistic uses, the form may vary with register or regional preference.

See also: aantasten; aangetast.