nonnetje

Dutch

Etymology

Literally, “little nun”.

  • The sense "smew" is derived from the black and white coloring of the male's plumage.
  • The sense "mollusk" is said to derive from fishermen's slang, alluding to nuns' chastity: reportedly, the clam is difficult to open with the tongue. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈnɔnətjə/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

nonnetje n (plural nonnetjes)

  1. diminutive of non

Noun

nonnetje n (plural nonnetjes)

  1. smew (Mergellus albellus).
    Synonym: kleine zaagbek (obsolete)
    Hypernym: zaagbek
  2. Baltic macoma, Baltic clam, Baltic tellin (Limecola balthica syn. Macoma balthica)

Further reading

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