mallemolen
Dutch
Alternative forms
- malle molen
Etymology
Univerbation of malle molen or compound of mal (“silly, crazy”) + -e- + molen (“mill”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌmɑ.ləˈmoː.lə(n)/, /ˈmɑ.ləˌmoː.lə(n)/
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: mal‧le‧mo‧len
Noun
mallemolen f (plural mallemolens, diminutive mallemolentje n)
- (dated, dialect) carousel, merry-go-round [from 17th c.]
- Synonym: draaimolen
- (figurative) madhouse (overwhelming chaotic place, experience or situation)
- (obsolete) vortex [from 18th c.]