vermaard

Vermaard is a Dutch adjective meaning renowned, celebrated, or well known for merit. In contemporary usage it is typically literary or formal and is less common in everyday speech, where beroemd or gevierd would be more usual. Vermaard can describe people, works, or institutions that are widely recognized for their quality or influence.

The term is attested in historical Dutch texts, with forms such as vermaard and vermaarde appearing in the Early Modern period and continuing in a more limited, stylistic role today. It is related to other fame-oriented adjectives and sits on the formal end of the spectrum, carrying a sense of prestige or enduring reputation rather than mere popularity. The exact etymology is not always clear in popular dictionaries, but it is generally understood as built from a prefix indicating intensification and a root associated with fame or renown.

Usage and nuance: vermaard often occurs with definite or indefinite nouns in attributive position, as in een vermaarde kunstenaar or het vermaarde werk, and can also function predicatively, as in De schilder is vermaard. In modern prose, its presence signals a deliberate, elevated tone and may evoke a historical or literary atmosphere. Synonyms include beroemd, illuster, gevierd, and legendarisch, each carrying slightly different shades of fame.

See also: fame in Dutch literature, equivalents in English (renowned, celebrated).