vrouw

Vrouw is the Dutch noun for an adult female human. It is used to refer to women in general as well as to denote a wife in appropriate contexts. In modern Dutch the definite article is de, as in de vrouw, and the plural form is vrouwen, as in de vrouwen. The word appears in everyday speech, media, and formal writing, and it forms the basis of many gender-related terms, such as vrouwelijke (feminine) and vrouwelijkheid (femininity). It also occurs in compound words and set phrases, for example huisvrouw (housewife) and vrouwelijke professionals in discussions of gender and work.

Etymology and historical development: Vrouw derives from Middle Dutch vrouwe, meaning lady or mistress, which itself comes from a Proto-Germanic root related to the word for woman or female. It is cognate with German Frau and with early forms in related languages. Over time the sense broadened from a title or status term for a woman to a general label for an adult female. The plural form vrouwen shows a typical Dutch vowel change seen in other irregular plurals.

Grammar and usage notes: Vrouw is a common-gender noun used with de in the singular and plural (de vrouw, de vrouwen). It can indicate marital status in phrases like zijn/haar vrouw (his/her wife). The word also participates in a wide range of idiomatic expressions and compounds that describe gender, roles, and attributes, such as vrouwelijk (feminine) and vrouwelijkheid (femininity). In Dutch-language contexts, alternatives such as echtgenote or dame may be used in more formal or specific situations.