gelaten

Gelaten is a Dutch word with two main uses. As an adjective it describes a person or mood that is calm, composed, or resigned, often indicating acceptance of a situation without protest. Commonly used phrases include een gelaten houding or ze keek gelaten naar de situatie. The form is frequent in written Dutch and appears in both literary and formal contexts. The noun gelatenheid expresses the quality of resignation or composure.

As the past participle of the verb laten, gelaten also occurs in certain grammatical constructions, notably in older or more formal Dutch. In everyday speech, speakers more often rely on other constructions, since the causative sense of laten is typically rendered with infinitives after have or have-related phrases (for example laten gebeuren) rather than with gelaten as a standalone participle.

Etymology and related terms: Gelaten derives from laten, the broad Dutch verb meaning to let or to allow. The adjective sense reflects the idea of letting things be, framing calm or resigned acceptance as a mood rather than an action.

See also: laten; gelatenheid; calm; resignation.