aanzienlijk

Aanzienlijk is a Dutch adjective meaning significant, substantial, or notable. It is used to describe quantities, extents, or impacts that are large or important. The term typically refers to magnitude or significance rather than personal qualities.

Etymology: The word comes from aanzien (to regard or consider) combined with the suffix -lijk, yielding a sense of “worthy of regard” or “worthy of consideration.”

Usage: It is common in formal and semi-formal Dutch. It can be used attributively before a noun or predicatively: een aanzienlijke hoeveelheid geld (a considerable amount of money) or het bedrag is aanzienlijk (the amount is considerable). It describes growth, influence, costs, or percentages: een aanzienlijke toename, een aanzienlijke invloed, aanzienlijke kosten. Synonyms include beduidend and fors; antonyms include onbeduidend and gering. The term is versatile across contexts such as economics, policy, and analysis.

Notes: In everyday language, aanzienlijk signals meaningful magnitude without implying moral judgments. The form before a noun is commonly aanzienlijke (with -e in many attributive uses, as in een aanzienlijke hoeveelheid) and follows standard Dutch adjective agreement rules for definite nouns and plurals. The word is more formal and precise than general terms like groot or veel, and is often found in reporting, official documents, and analytical writing.