bevestiging

Bevestiging is a Dutch noun with several related meanings, linked by the idea of making something firm, true, or official. The core sense is the act of confirming, verifying, or certifying something; a statement or decision that is confirmed can be called een bevestiging. The word is formed from be- plus vestigen, meaning to fix or establish.

Bevestiging is used in both abstract and tangible contexts. In administrative and everyday language, it denotes acknowledgment or verification: bijvoorbeeld een afspraakbevestiging (confirmation of an appointment), een orderbevestiging, of een bevestiging van ontvangst (acknowledgement of receipt). In written communication it often refers to a formal message that something has been accepted or processed, such as een bevestigingsmail.

In a physical sense, bevestiging also means fastening or attachment. In construction, carpentry, and hardware terminology, de bevestiging refers to the act of fastening an element to another and to the necessary fasteners and mounting points: bevestigingsmateriaal (screws, bolts, brackets) and bevestigingspunten (anchor points).

Religious usage: in the Netherlands and Flanders the sacrament of confirmation is typically called confirmatie; bevestiging may be used in a broader, non-technical sense to indicate the act of confirming faith or a belief.

The term is polysemous and its meaning depends on context; it is closely related to the verb bevestigen.