trapjes

Trapjes is the plural form of trapje, a Dutch diminutive for a small step or a short flight of stairs. The base word trap means a stair or staircase; the diminutive suffix -je conveys small size or familiarity. Therefore trapje refers to a small step, and trapjes to several of them.

In architecture and landscape, trapjes are commonly used to describe small outdoor or indoor steps, such as garden stairs, step-like features on a slope, or a low flight connecting levels. In domestic settings, a short set of steps at a doorway or between rooms may be called trapjes, especially in casual speech.

In figurative language, trapjes can appear in expressions that imply incremental progression or a series of small steps toward a goal. The related noun trede denotes an individual step, and trapje emphasizes either a diminutive scale or an affectionate tone.

See also: stairs, staircase, trede, step.