niet

From Middle Dutch niwet, niet, from Old Dutch *niowiht, niewiht, from nio (“never”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). The former in turn derives from Proto-Germanic *ne (“not”) + *aiw- (“ever”) + *wihtą (“thing”).

It was originally a pronoun meaning "not a thing", and was later used to reinforce a regular negation. The pronomial meaning was lost in Middle Dutch. English not, and its older forms naught and nought, were formed in the same way, but "not" also lost its sense as a pronoun and became a negation adverb as in Dutch.

• IPA^(key): /nit/ (standard)
• IPA^(key): /ni/ (often, in fast speech)
• Rhymes: -it

• Audio:

  (file)

niet

1. not, no: used to express negation.

   Antonym: wel

   Niet storen!

   Do not disturb!

   Dat is niet waar.

   That is not true.

• Afrikaans: nie
• Berbice Creole Dutch: ni
• Javindo: niet
• Jersey Dutch: nît, nî
• Negerhollands: na, no, nu, ne, ni, nit, niet
• Petjo: niet
• Skepi Creole Dutch: ni, niti

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

niet f (plural nieten, diminutive nietje n)

1. staple (wire fastener)

The word is commonly used in the diminutive form

• nietmachine

• → Papiamentu: nit

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

niet

1. inflection of nieten:
   1. first/second/third-person singular present indicative
   2. imperative

• tien

From Old Dutch niewiht, *niowiht, from nio (“never”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). The former in turn derives from Proto-Germanic *ne (“not”) + *aiw- (“ever”) + *wihtą (“thing”).

niet

1. not

• nicht, niewet

• Dutch: niet (see there for further descendants)
• Jersey Dutch: nît
• Limburgish: neet

niet

1. nothing

• “niet (III)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “niet (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I

• nyit (continental Normandy)
• gniet, gniaette (Guernsey)

From Old French noit, nuit, from Latin noctem, accusative of nox, from Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts.

• Audio (Jersey):

  (file)

niet f (plural niets)

1. (Jersey, Guernsey) night
   • 2006, Peggy Collenette, “Célébraïr 25 onnaïes”, in P'tites Lures Guernésiaises, Cromwell Press, published 2006, page 18:

     La Marie et Jimmin dormisirent toute la niet et Jimmin s'éville au matin dauve l'épile à sen naïz.

     Marie and Jimmy slept all night and Jimmy woke up in the morning with the peg on his nose.