voorgaat

Voorgaat is a Dutch term that refers to an archaic or dialectal form of the verb voorgaan, meaning to preside, to lead, or to go in front. In older Dutch texts, this form could appear as a present-tense, third-person singular construction, indicating that someone leads or heads a group, ceremony, or meeting. In modern standard Dutch, the action is typically expressed with gaan voor or voorzitten, rather than with voorgaat, which is largely confined to historical or regional usage.

Etymology and meaning

Voorgaat combines the prefix voor- (before, in front) with gaan (to go). The composite conveys the sense of going in front of others, i.e., leading or presiding over an event or assembly. The form reflects historical spellings and grammatical patterns that have since evolved in contemporary Dutch.

Historical usage

The form appears in charters, minutes, ceremonial proclamations, and other documents from earlier periods. It was used to designate the person who leads a proceeding, service, or procession. As Dutch standardized, the stricter present-tense forms and synonyms replaced voorgaat in most official and everyday contexts.

Contemporary status

Voorgaat is now considered obsolete or highly regional. It may appear in literary quotations, philological discussions, or dialectal records. In modern Dutch, clear equivalents are voorzitten (to chair) or gaat voor (presides).

See also

Voorgaan, voorganger, voorzitten, voorgang.

References

Dutch etymology and historical grammar sources note the historical use of voorgaan and its inflected forms in older texts.