geschiedenissen

Geschiedenissen is the plural form of the Dutch noun geschiedenis, meaning histories or narratives about past events. The term refers to multiple historical accounts or stories, and it is often used when presenting a collection of separate narratives or when emphasizing particular events within a broader history. In Dutch literature and religious writing, geschiedenissen can convey a more literary or ceremonial sense than the everyday use of geschiedenis.

In modern usage, geschiedenis is generally preferred for history as a discipline or for history in general. Geschiedenissen tends to appear mainly in titles, encyclopedic or antiquarian contexts, and in reference to biblical or classical narratives. It can be found in phrases such as “geschiedenissen der volken” (histories of the peoples) or in references to compilations of historical episodes.

The form developed from the plural of the older noun history-related roots and is encountered in both historical and religious texts, often to signal a collection of distinct histories rather than a single, unified history. It also appears in more formal or archaic registers, where the plural emphasizes multiple, narrative accounts.

See also: geschiedenis, historiografie, chronologie.