heimwee

Dutch

Alternative forms

Etymology

From heim (“home”) +‎ wee (“pain, longing”), calque of German Heimweh; compare nostalgie, which (transmitted via French and New Latin) ultimately represents a calque of the same German word.

The form heim is a Germanism, but nonetheless heimwee prevailed over fully nativized heemwee, which is now obsolete.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɦɛi̯mʋeː/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: heim‧wee

Noun

heimwee n or f (plural heimweeën, diminutive heimweetje n)

  1. homesickness

Usage notes

  • Originally neuter following the gender of German Heimweh, subsequently often feminine following Dutch wee.

Descendants

  • → Papiamentu: heimwé
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