flauw
Dutch
Etymology
Possibly through Middle Dutch vlau (“limp, weak”) from Old French flou;[1] see further at French flou. If so, a doublet of Dutch flou.
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Adjective
flauw (comparative flauwer, superlative flauwst)
- boring, tasteless, uninspired
- Hij haalt soms de flauwste grappen uit! - He pulls the lamest pranks sometimes!
- languid, weak
- (concept) vague, hazy
- Geen flauw idee! - Not the faintest idea!
- (flavour) tasteless, bland
Inflection
| Inflection of flauw | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uninflected | flauw | |||
| inflected | flauwe | |||
| comparative | flauwer | |||
| positive | comparative | superlative | ||
| predicative/adverbial | flauw | flauwer | het flauwst het flauwste | |
| indefinite | m./f. sing. | flauwe | flauwere | flauwste |
| n. sing. | flauw | flauwer | flauwste | |
| plural | flauwe | flauwere | flauwste | |
| definite | flauwe | flauwere | flauwste | |
| partitive | flauws | flauwers | — | |
Descendants
- Berbice Creole Dutch: flau
- Negerhollands: flaau
- → Aukan: faaw
- → Papiamentu: flou
References
- van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “flauw”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute