verzwart

Verzwart is a Dutch term meaning darkened or blackened, and it functions as the past participle of the verb verzwarten. It is used to describe surfaces or materials that have become darker in color due to exposure to smoke, fire, aging, or chemical treatment. In contemporary Dutch, speakers more often express this idea with phrases like donkerder maken or zwart maken, but verzwart appears in historical, literary, or technical texts and can be found in descriptions that emphasize a change of color.

Etymology and form: The word is formed from the adjective zwart (black) with the prefix ver-, which in Dutch signals a change of state. The general concept is related to similar Germanic roots for words meaning black or dark. As an adjective, verzwart can modify nouns (het hout is verzwart) or be used in a past-tense construction (het hout werd verzwart).

Usage notes: Verzwart is commonly used to indicate a surface has darkened, for example due to smoke, soot, or patina. It is typical in older or formal texts and may appear in technical or descriptive writing about materials such as hout (wood), muren (walls), of metaal (metal). Because it is somewhat archaic or literary, it may come across as stylistically formal in everyday language.

Examples:

- Het hout is verzwart door rook.

- De muren waren verzwart door de as.

See also: zwart, donker, donkerder maken, zwart maken, verzwakend (related but distinct terms for alteration of color or state).