sleutel

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch sleutel, from Middle Dutch slōtel, sluetel, from Old Dutch *slutil, from Proto-West Germanic *slutil.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈslɪø.təl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

sleutel (plural sleutels, diminutive sleuteltjie)

1. key (tool for locking and unlocking; something that unlocks)
2. (music) clef

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈsløː.təl/
• Hyphenation: sleu‧tel
• Rhymes: -øːtəl

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch slōtel, sluetel, from Old Dutch *slutil, from Proto-West Germanic *slutil, which is derived from *sleutan (“to close”). Equivalent to sluiten +‎ -el.

Noun

sleutel m (plural sleutels, diminutive sleuteltje n)

1. A key.

   De sleutel van de auto ― The key of the car

   De sleutel tot geluk ― The key to happiness

2. A wrench, a spanner.
3. (music) A clef.

Derived terms

• altsleutel
• autosleutel
• bassleutel
• C-sleutel
• dosleutel
• fasleutel
• fietssleutel
• G-sleutel
• hemelsleutel
• muzieksleutel
• sleutelbaard
• sleutelbloem
• sleutelbos
• sleutelen
• sleutelfiguur
• sleutelgat
• sleutelhanger
• sleutelkind
• sleutelrol
• sleutelroman
• solsleutel
• sopraansleutel
• tenoorsleutel

 

Related terms

• slot
• sluiten

 

Descendants

• Afrikaans: sleutel
• Berbice Creole Dutch: slotro, slutro
• Negerhollands: sleuter, sleetel
• → Lokono: shilotoro
• → Aukan: sooto
• → Saramaccan: sòotó
• → Sranan Tongo: sroto, slotto
  • → Caribbean Javanese: sroto
  • → Trió: soroto
• → Warao: sidyotóre, sidiotore

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

sleutel

1. inflection of sleutelen:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. imperative