deugniet

Dutch

Etymology

From deugen (“to be good”) +‎ niet (“not”); parallel to cognate German Taugenichts and Danish døgenigt (the latter of which took on a somewhat different sense).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈdøːx.nit/
Audio: (file)
Hyphenation: deug‧niet

Noun

deugniet m (plural deugnieten, diminutive deugnietje n)

(originally) good-for-nothing
(usually) rascal, scamp, a naughty boy
(term of endearment) knave, amusing boy

Synonyms

(kid) blaag, kind
(rascal) bengel m, rakker m, rekel m

Descendants

Negerhollands: deugniets

References

M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]