leenwoord

Leenwoord is a Dutch term for a word borrowed from another language and incorporated into Dutch vocabulary. Such words may retain their original form or undergo adaptation in pronunciation, spelling, and grammar to fit Dutch norms. Leenwoorden are distinguished from calques, which are phrases or expressions translated literally into Dutch.

Borrowing occurs through contact with other languages and serves to fill lexical gaps, especially in fields like technology, culture, cuisine, and media. Common sources include English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Borrowed words can enter directly from the source language or via another language and may accumulate new meanings or nuances over time.

In Dutch, leenwoorden are often adapted to Dutch phonology and orthography. This can affect pronunciation, letter choices, or stress patterns, and sometimes results in plural formation or inflection that mirrors Dutch patterns. Some loanwords retain near-original spelling, especially in technical terms, brand names, or borrowed proper nouns, while others are fully assimilated with native morphemes.

Examples of leenwoorden commonly used in Dutch include robot (from Czech robota), computer (English), weekend (English), pizza (Italian), taxi (French/English), and garage (French/Italian). Over time, many of these words become routine elements of the Dutch lexicon and may lose some of their foreign flavor as they integrate into everyday speech.

See also: calque, vocabulary, language contact.