armoedzaaier

Dutch

Alternative forms

  • armoeizaaier
  • armoezaaier (Belgium)

Etymology

From armoede (poverty; strife) + zaaier (one who sows), a calque of West Frisian earmoedsaaier (aggressive, argumentative person). West Frisian later borrowed the sense “destitute person” from Dutch.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɑr.mutˌsaː.jər/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: ar‧moed‧zaai‧er

Noun

armoedzaaier m (plural armoedzaaiers, diminutive armoedzaaiertje n)

  1. One who is extremely poor, a down-and-outer, a beggar. [from ca. 1890]
  2. (archaic) An aggressive or cruel person, a hothead, one given to fights and bickering. [1880s - early 20th c.]
    • 1884 April 12, P. Doon, "Mijnheer de Redakteur!", Recht voor allen. Orgaan van de Sociaal-Demokratische Partij in Nederland, Vol. 6, No. 7, page 4.
      Schaamt zoo'n ongelukkige armoedzaaier zich niet een oppassend huisvader van zeven nog zeer jeugdige kinderen zoo plotseling broodeloos op straat te zetten?
      Isn't such a deplorable troublemaker ashamed about suddenly kicking a cautious father with a family of seven very young children onto the street without employment?
    Synonyms: onruststoker, ruziemaker, ruziestoker, ruziezoeker

References

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