ongedelige

Ongedelige is a rarely used Dutch adjective that denotes irregularity, unevenness, or lack of regularity. The term is not common in standard modern Dutch, where more common words for similar meanings would be irregular, oneven, of onregelmatig. Its usage tends to appear in dialects, regional writing, or historical texts rather than in contemporary, everyday language.

Etymology and history

The exact origin of ongedelige is unclear, and it is not widely documented in modern dictionaries. Earliest attestations are found in regional or older sources where it described phenomena that deviated from established patterns or rules. Because it is not a standard term of contemporary Dutch, its precise sense can vary by author and period.

Usage and domains

In linguistic contexts, ongedelige has been used to refer to forms or structures that do not follow regular inflection or standard rules. In mathematics or statistics, it can describe distributions or sequences that are not evenly paced or spaced, though this usage is informal and not canonical. In music or art, it may describe rhythms, patterns, or arrangements that fail to exhibit regular meter or symmetry. Given its rarity outside specific texts, the term is typically replaced by more precise terms such as irregular, nonuniform, or uneven in formal writing.

Notes

Ongedelige is considered marginal in modern Dutch and is best understood as an historical or dialectal variant. For most practical purposes, standard synonyms that convey irregularity or unevenness are preferred.

See also: irregular, nonuniform, uneven, onregelmatig.