diepen

Diepen is a Dutch word that can refer to a verb meaning to deepen or to make deeper. It derives from diep meaning deep, with the -en suffix forming the infinitive. In standard Dutch, diepen is not common in abstract senses; verdiepen is preferred for deepening knowledge or understanding, while diepen is largely restricted to contexts describing physical depth, often in technical or dialectal usage. The term may also appear in historical texts or dialects and in compound expressions related to depth of physical objects, though in everyday use speakers typically choose more common verbs.

The word may also occur as a surname or part of place names in Dutch-speaking areas, separate from the verbal sense. In those cases it is treated as a proper noun rather than a verb. There is no single canonical article for diepen as a standalone concept, and disambiguation would typically separate the verb sense from any potential proper noun uses.