honderden

Honderden is a Dutch quantifier derived from the numeral honderd, meaning hundreds. It denotes an approximate quantity in the range around one hundred to a few hundred and is used to describe an unspecific, large number.

In typical usage, honderden appears before a plural noun to indicate a rough count, as in honderden mensen, honderden kilometers, or honderden bezoekers. It can also stand alone to refer to a large, non-specific amount, for example Er kwamen honderden, meaning that a large crowd arrived without stating a precise figure.

Etymology and relation to other numerals: hundred in Dutch is honderd, with hundreds taking the plural form honderden. The word is cognate with the German hundert and the English hundred, sharing a common Germanic root. The plural form is regularly used for approximate quantities, contrasting with exact figures given as numerals.

Usage notes: Honderden implies imprecision and scale, often chosen when precise counting is impractical or unnecessary, such as in news reporting, historical writing, or casual speech. It can be combined with modifiers like ongeveer (approximately), rond (around), or circa to emphasize the estimate. It sits among related quantifiers such as tientallen (tens) and duizenden (thousands), which similarly convey approximate magnitudes without exact numbers.