enkelvoudige

Enkelvoudige is a Dutch adjective that denotes the sense of “single” or “simple” in contexts where something is not composite or is straightforward. It is the attributive inflected form of the base adjective enkelvoudig. The form enkelvoudige is used before feminine singular nouns and before plural nouns in attributive position, while predicative use generally employs enkelvoudig (for example, Dit systeem is enkelvoudig).

In ordinary language, enkelvoudige describes things that consist of a single part or are easy to understand. Examples include enkelvoudige oplossing (a simple/straightforward solution) and enkelvoudige vormen (the simple forms). With definite determiners, or in plural contexts, the form often appears as enkelvoudige.

In specialized domains, enkelvoudige appears in technical terms:

- In chemistry, enkelvoudige binding denotes a single covalent bond.

- In mathematics or linguistics, enkelvoudige getallen or enkelvoudige vormen may refer to one-digit numbers or singular word-forms, respectively.

- In biochemistry or nutrition, enkelvoudige suikers refers to monosaccharides (single sugars).

Relation to other forms: the opposite of enkelvoudig is veelvoudig (or meervoudig in some contexts), which signals multiple or multiple-part structures. The word is primarily used as an attributive adjective in Dutch, with its exact ending determined by the gender and number of the noun it describes and by whether the noun is definite or plural.