geruimd

Geruimd is a Dutch past participle and adjective formed from the verb ruimen, meaning to clear away or tidy. It describes a state that results from cleaning or decluttering, such as a room that has been cleared of objects or organized.

Etymology and usage notes: Geruimd derives from Middle Dutch ruimen, with the ge- prefix used to form past participles in Dutch. In modern use, it functions as a predicative description (Het zijn geruimd) and can appear in attributive position, though it is less common in everyday speech than the closely related form opgeruimd, which is often preferred to express a tidy state.

Contexts and examples: The word appears in everyday language, housekeeping contexts, and written descriptions. Examples include statements about a cleaned room or a cleared area, such as "De kamer is geruimd" or "Na het schoonmaken is alles geruimd." In some contexts, particularly in instructions, notices, or formal writing, geruimd may appear alongside related terms like opgeruimd or opruimen.

Relation to other terms: Opgeruimd is the more common modern synonym for a tidy state and is formed with a prefix that intensifies the idea of tidying up. Opruimen is the verb meaning to tidy up or clear away, the action that leads to a geruimd state. Geruimd can also be encountered in fixed phrases or older texts.

See also: Opruimen, Opgeruimd, Tidiness in Dutch language.