eenzame

Eenzame is a Dutch adjective meaning lonely or solitary. It describes a person who feels loneliness, a situation marked by a lack of companionship, or a place that seems desolate. The word can modify a noun directly, for example eenzame reizigers (lonely travelers) or eenzaam dorp (a lonely village), though it is most often used to convey an emotional sense of isolation.

Origin and form: Eenzame is formed from the word een (one) combined with the suffix -zaam, which creates adjectives denoting a quality. The term has roots in Middle Dutch and remains common in contemporary Dutch. The related noun eenzaamheid denotes loneliness or social isolation, a distinct concept from merely being alone.

Usage and nuance: Eenzame emphasizes an emotional or subjective experience of isolation, whereas alleen or alleen zijn emphasizes physical absence or being by oneself. Eenzaamheid, the noun, refers to the state of loneliness as a feeling or condition and is a frequent topic in psychology, sociology, and media discussions about social connectedness.

In Dutch literature and journalism, eenzame descriptions are often used to convey mood, social critique, or character psychology. The word can describe people, groups, or environments and is part of a broader vocabulary addressing loneliness and social cohesion in Dutch-speaking contexts.