bekende

Bekende is a Dutch adjective meaning well-known or famous. It is used to describe people, places, or things that are widely recognized or familiar within a specific context. For example, een bekende acteur (a well-known actor) or bekende feiten (well-known facts). The form bek- is the base, and -de is added in attributive position before a noun when the noun is definite or indefinite in common usage.

In Dutch, bekender is the comparative form (more well-known) and bekendst is the superlative (most well-known). The word is closely related to synonyms such as beroemd (famous), openbaar bekend (publicly known), and vertrouwd (familiar), though each carries its own nuance. Bekende is commonly used in media, journalism, and everyday speech to indicate prominence or recognizability without implying exceptional fame.

Bekende can also function as a noun in colloquial speech, meaning an acquaintance or a familiar person, as in een bekende van mij (an acquaintance of mine) or de bekende (the familiar/known one), though this noun usage is more informal and context-dependent.

Etymologically, bekend derives from a sense of knowledge or recognition and is part of a broader family of Dutch words linked to knowing and recognition. It contrasts with onbekend (unknown) and invisible or unfamiliar contexts, where recognition is not present.

See also: bekendheid, bekendmaken, bekendstaander, beroemd.