voetje

Voetje is a Dutch noun formed as a diminutive of voet, meaning foot. It is used to refer to a small foot or to describe something that resembles or functions as a foot. The diminutive nuance makes it common in everyday speech, especially when addressing or describing young children, animals, or small, delicate feet.

In everyday language, voeteje often denotes the feet of people or animals in a tender or informal way. For babies or small pets, people might say “mijn voetjes” or “die kleine voetjes” to convey affection. Beyond anatomy, the term is also used for foot-shaped or supporting parts on objects. In furniture and household items, a voet or voetje can describe a small leg or base that elevates the piece and helps stabilize it. Many items have protective or decorative feet, such as plastic caps or felt pads, which may be referred to as voetjes.

Historically, the term voet referred to a unit of length in the Dutch customary system. The diminutive voete could appear in older texts to indicate a smaller subdivision, though the exact size varied by region and era. With the adoption of the metric system, such historical measurements are no longer in common use, and voeteje is primarily found in talk of anatomy, language, or furniture terminology.

Voetje is thus a versatile term in Dutch, bridging anatomy, everyday speech, and descriptions of objects that stand on small feet.