terreinen

Terreinen is the Dutch plural noun meaning grounds, premises, or sites. The singular form, terrein, refers to a defined piece of land or a built-up area, such as the grounds surrounding a building, a plot of land, or a workplace. In addition to physical space, terrein can also denote a field of activity or a domain, as in phrases like werkterrein or sportterrein, where it refers to the area in which someone operates or a facility used for specific activities.

Etymology and usage context: Terrein comes from the French word terrain and was adopted into Dutch, with the plural terreinen forming according to standard Dutch rules. The term is common in real estate, urban planning, construction, and security contexts, where it identifies the boundaries of property or a site. It is also used in figurative language to describe an area of responsibility or expertise, for example, iemand die het terrein van een bepaald vakgebied beheert.

Common examples and compounds include industrieterrein (industrial estate), bouwterrein (construction site), en het terrein van een bedrijf (the premises of a company). In everyday language, terreinen can refer to open land as well as enclosed or controlled spaces, such as schoolyards, parks, or corporate campuses, depending on context.

See also: terrein, gebied, gebiedsbehering, bouwterrein. Note that terreinen is the plural form and is typically used when referring to multiple sites or spaces.