loswikkelen

Loswikkelen is a Dutch verb meaning to unwind or uncoil something that is wrapped or wound. It can also be used metaphorically to describe gradually disentangling a plan, process, or situation. The term combines the prefix los- (“un-,” release) with wikkelen (to wrap or coil). In everyday use it often refers to physical objects such as cables, hoses, or tapes, but it can appear in figurative contexts as well.

Etymology and related forms: Los- is a productive Dutch prefix indicating separation or release, attached to wikkelen, the verb for wrapping or coiling. Related expressions include uitwikkelen (to unwind completely) and afwikkelen (to wrap up or finalize a sequence). Dialectal variation exists, and in some contexts loswikkelen is considered a near-synonym of uitwikkelen, while in others it is reserved for specific wrapping-related actions.

Usage notes: Loswikkelen emphasizes freeing an object from its wrapped state and is typically transitive. The active form may appear in manuals and informal speech, while the passive form can be found in procedure texts: het snoer wordt loswikkeld. Figuratively, loswikkelen can describe gradually loosening constraints, though more common terms for abstract use include ontrafelen or ontwinden.

See also: uitwikkelen, afwikkelen, wikkelen, ontrafelen, ontwinden.