List of English Words of Dutch Origin - G

G

Galoot

(="awkward or boorish man"), originally a sailor's contemptuous word (="raw recruit, green hand") for soldiers or marines, of uncertain origin; "Dictionary of American Slang" proposes galut, Sierra Leone creole form of Spanish galeoto (="galley slave"); perhaps rather Dutch slang kloot (="testicle"), klootzak (="scrotum"), used figuratively as an insult

Gas

from gas, a neologism from Jan Baptista van Helmont, derived from the Greek chaos

Geek

from geck (gek) (="fool")

Gherkin

from Dutch plural of gurk (="cucumber"), shortened form of East Frisian augurk

Gimp (cord or thread)

from Dutch gimp

Gin

from jenever

Gnu

from gnoe (from Bushman !nu)

Golf

from kolf (="bat, club," but also a game played with these)

Grab

from grijpen (="to seize, to grasp, to snatch")

Gruff

from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German grof (="coarse (in quality), thick, large")

Guilder

from gulden