nauwkeurige

Nauwkeurig is a Dutch adjective meaning precise, accurate, or exact. The form nauwkeurige is the attributive form used directly before a noun, for example in phrases such as een nauwkeurige meting or de nauwkeurige resultaten. The word is common in both everyday and technical language.

Grammatical notes and usage: Dutch adjectives show weak inflection after definite articles or possessives. The base form is nauwkeurig; adding the ending -e yields nauwkeurige when the adjective precedes a noun (singular or plural in typical usage). In predicative position, after verbs like zijn or worden, the form remains nauwkeurig without the -e, as in De meting is nauwkeurig. The pattern also allows for plural nouns: de nauwkeurige metingen, de nauwkeurige resultaten.

Etymology: nauwkeurig is formed from the stem nauw with a suffix that conveys meticulousness or correctness. The combination expresses the sense of being tight, careful, and exact. The related noun nauwkeurigheid denotes the quality or degree of being accurate.

Common usage and context: nauwkeurig is frequently used in scientific, technical, and professional contexts to describe measurements, data, methods, or descriptions that are reliable and free from significant error. It can also appear in everyday language when emphasizing carefulness or thoroughness. Related terms include nauwkeurigheid (accuracy), precisie (precision), and exactheid (exactness).

Translations and equivalents: in English, nauwkeurig translates to precise, accurate, or exact. In German, ähnlich terms are präzise or genau, while in French one might use précis or exact.

See also: nauwkeurigheid, precisie, exactheid, nauwkeurig (base form).