Word
netherlands
Phoneticsnether·lands
/ˈnɛðɝɫəndz/
Definitions
01the country
n. a country in Western Europe known for its flat land, canals, and tulips.
n. a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in Western Europe and bordering Germany and Belgium.
“We are planning a trip to the Netherlands to see the tulip fields in the spring.”
“The Netherlands is internationally recognised for its innovative water management systems and its historically significant maritime trade routes.”
Usage
Always used with the definite article 'the' and takes a singular verb when referring to the nation.
Pitfall
I am going to Netherlands.
I am going to the Netherlands.
Always use the definite article 'the' before Netherlands.
Teaching tip
While many people use 'Holland' to mean the whole country, it technically only refers to two specific provinces. In formal contexts, always use 'the Netherlands'.
Synonyms
02body parts
n. a humorous or indirect way to talk about someone's bottom or private parts.
n. a slang term referring to the human crotch, genitals, or buttocks.
“He took a painful hit to the netherlands during the football match.”
“The comedian made a series of crude jokes regarding his 'netherlands' that left the audience feeling somewhat uncomfortable.”
Slang · Humorous
Usage
Always plural in this sense.
Teaching tip
This is a play on the word 'nether' meaning 'lower'. It is informal and can be seen as slightly vulgar or immature depending on the company.
Etymology
From nether (“lower”) + lands, the country being very low-lying, with a great part below sea level. Either a calque or a parallel formation to Dutch Nederland.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/netherlands