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Meaning & use

Netherlands

proper noun, adjective·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈneð.ə.ləndz/
US/ˈneð.ɚ.ləndz/

Meanings

  1. proper nounproper

    A country in northwestern Europe known for its canals, bicycles, flat land and low position near the sea.

    Grammar: Takes 'the' and a plural form with singular meaning: the Netherlands is small, not 'are small'.

    Patterns

    • in the Netherlands
    • travel to the Netherlands

    Much of the Netherlands lies below sea level.

    We cycled across the Netherlands last summer.

    The Netherlands is famous for tulips and cheese.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Relating to the country in the form 'Netherlands' used before nouns, as in Netherlands national team.

    Grammar: Used before nouns as a modifier; the usual adjective is Dutch.

    Patterns

    • the Netherlands team

    The Netherlands team reached the final.

    A Netherlands passport is valid across the EU.

    The Netherlands embassy issued the visa.

Common combinations

in the Netherlands
Her cousin lives in the Netherlands.
the Kingdom of the Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands includes islands in the Caribbean.
travel to the Netherlands
Travelers to the Netherlands often visit Amsterdam.
the Netherlands and Belgium
The Netherlands and Belgium share a border.
from the Netherlands
The tulips came from the Netherlands.

Synonyms and how they differ

Holland
Holland is a common informal name for the whole country, but it strictly refers only to the provinces North and South Holland.
the Low Countries
The Low Countries is a wider region that also includes Belgium and Luxembourg.

Word family

Dutch adjective
relating to the Netherlands, its people or its language
Dutchman noun
a man from the Netherlands
Dutchwoman noun
a woman from the Netherlands
Netherlander noun
a citizen of the Netherlands

Commonly confused: Netherlands or Holland? Netherlands or Deutsch?

Netherlands vs Holland

Holland names only part of the country, so calling the whole country Holland is common but imprecise.

Netherlands vs Deutsch

Deutsch is the German word for German; Dutch people are from the Netherlands, not Germany.

Practice

Which adjective describes people and things from the Netherlands?

Make it your own

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