Holland

From Old Dutch holt lant (“wood land”). A popular but false etymology holds that it is derived from hol land (“hollow land”), inspired by the low-lying geography of both the Dutch and the English region (Holland, Lincolnshire).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɒlənd/
• (General American) enPR: hŏlʹənd, IPA^(key): /ˈhɑlənd/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒlənd
• Hyphenation: Hol‧land

Holland

1. A traditional region in the Netherlands formed by two modern provinces, North Holland and South Holland.
2. (metonymically, informal, proscribed, see usage notes) the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe).
3. An English habitational surname from Middle English for someone from the Netherlands.
4. A number of places in the United States:
   1. A minor city in Faulkner County, Arkansas.
   2. An unincorporated community in Chattooga County, Georgia.
   3. A town in Cass Township, Dubois County, Indiana.
   4. A minor city in Grundy County, Iowa.
   5. An unincorporated community in Dickinson County, Kansas.
   6. An unincorporated community in Allen County, Kentucky.
   7. A town and census-designated place therein, in Hampden County, Massachusetts.
   8. A township in Missaukee County, Michigan.
   9. A township in Ottawa County, Michigan.
   10. A city in Ottawa County and Allegan County, Michigan.
   11. A township in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
   12. A minor city in Pipestone County, Minnesota.
   13. A neighbourhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
   14. A town in Pemiscot County, Missouri.
   15. A township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
   16. An unincorporated community in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.
   17. A town in Erie County, New York.
   18. An unincorporated community in Wake County, North Carolina.
   19. A village in Springfield Township, Lucas County, Ohio.
   20. An unincorporated community in Northampton Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
   21. A city in Bell County, Texas.
   22. A town in Orleans County, Vermont.
   23. A town in Brown County, Wisconsin.
   24. A town in La Crosse County, Wisconsin.
   25. A town in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.
5. A community in the Rural Municipality of Victoria, Manitoba, Canada.
6. A southern suburb of Oxted, Tandridge district, Surrey, England (OS grid ref TQ4050).
7. A settlement on Papa Westray, Orkney Islands council area, Scotland (OS grid ref HY4851).

• Outside the Netherlands, and even sometimes in the Netherlands itself, the term Holland often refers to the Netherlands as a whole. This use is often regarded as incorrect by Dutch people and may sometimes be considered insensitive, especially by residents of the other provinces of the Netherlands. It is somewhat similar to referring to the United Kingdom as “England”. In the context of sports matches, people from the Netherlands do often use Holland themselves for the country as a whole.

• Dutch
• Netherlands

From Old English hoh land (“spur land”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɒlənd/
• (General American) enPR: hŏlʹənd, IPA^(key): /ˈhɑlənd/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒlənd
• Hyphenation: Hol‧land

Holland

1. A historical region of Lincolnshire (also called Parts of Holland).
2. An English habitational surname from Middle English for someone from any of the various places in England named Holland.

Borrowed from Dutch Holland, probably = Old Dutch holt (“wood”) + lant (“land”).

• IPA^(key): [ˈhʌˌlanˀ]

Holland

1. Holland (a traditional region in the Netherlands formed by two modern provinces, North Holland and South Holland)
2. (common, sometimes proscribed) Holland, the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe)

• Kongeriget Nederlandene
• Nederland
• Nederlandene

• hollandsk
• hollænder

From Old Dutch holt lant (“wood land”). A popular but false etymology holds that it is derived from hol land (“hollow land”), inspired by the low-lying geography of the Dutch region.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɦɔlɑnt/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Hol‧land

Holland n

1. Holland (a traditional region in the Netherlands formed by two modern provinces, North Holland and South Holland)

   Holland is sterk verstedelijkt.

   Holland is highly urbanised.

   In de Republiek was Holland het dominante gewest.

   Holland was the dominant province in the Dutch Republic.

2. (in patriotic contexts) Holland, the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe)

   Ik hou van Holland.

   I love the Netherlands.

   When cheering for a sports team:

   Hup Holland hup!

   Go Netherlands go!

   • 1937, Willy Schootemeijer (lyrics and music), “Ik hou van Holland”, performed by Joseph Schmidt:

     Ik hou van Holland, landje aan de Zuiderzee / Een stukje Holland draag ik in m'n hart steeds mee / Daar waar die molens draaien in hun forse kracht / En waar de bollen bloeien in hun schoonste pracht

     I love the Netherlands, little country by the Zuiderzee / A little piece of the Netherlands I always carry in my heart / There where those windmills turn in their mighty power / And where the bulbs bloom in their most beautiful splendour

   • 1972, “Vluchten kan niet meer”, Annie M.G. Schmidt (lyrics), Harry Bannink (music), performed by Jenny Arean and Frans Halsema:

     Hier in Holland sterft de laatste vlinder / op de allerlaatste bloem / en alle muziek die overblijft / is de supersonische boem

     Here in the Netherlands, the last butterfly / dies on the very last flower / and all music that remains / is the supersonic boom

3. (mostly in Belgium and Suriname, somewhat informal, proscribed) the Netherlands as a whole

   Hij is voor zijn werk naar Holland geëmigreerd.

   He has emigrated to Holland for his job.

   Synonym: Nederland

   • 1969, Thea Doelwijt, Wajono‎, Paramaribo: Eldorado, page 24:

     Meneer Keller lachte. - Hier is geen Holland, zei hij. - Mi sabi, mi sabi, zei Joyce ongeduldig. Ik wil ook niet, dat Suriname Holland wordt. Ik hou van dit land zoals het is.

     Mr Keller laughed. "Here, it's not the Netherlands", he said. "I know, I know", Joyce said impatiently. "I don't want Suriname to become the Netherlands either. I love this country the way it is. (...)"

• People in the Netherlands in Dutch generally do not call their country Holland, especially not if they live outside the two provinces of that name. It can be seen as reinforcing Hollandic political and/or cultural dominance, which might be a sensitive subject for some, although unlikely to cause serious offence. However, the term is more widely used to mean “Netherlands” in international contexts, such as in international shipping, and it is also widespread in sports.
• In Belgium and Suriname Holland is very frequently used as a pars pro toto for the Netherlands, but this is somewhat less common in edited writing and in formal spoken language, where it may be consciously avoided.

• Hollander
• Hollanditis
• Holland op zijn smalst
• Hollands
• Noord-Holland
• Zuid-Holland

• Javindo: Hollaan
• Jersey Dutch: Hôl-läänt
• → Caribbean Javanese: Holan
• → Kwinti: hollan
• → Portuguese: holanda, Holanda
  • → Petjo: blandeu, blandees

From Middle High German Hollant, from Old Dutch Hollant.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɔlant/

• Audio

  (file)

Holland n (proper noun, genitive Hollands or (optionally with an article) Holland)

1. Holland (a traditional region in the Netherlands formed by two modern provinces, North Holland and South Holland)
   • 1873, Wiener Weltausstellung 1873. Special-Catalog der Ausstellung des Königreichs der Niederlande nebst einem Uebersichtsplan dieser Ausstellung, page 24:

     Die schönsten Weiden findet man in den beiden Hollanden und in Friesland.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 1885, Jahresbericht über die Leistungen auf dem Gebiete der Veterinär-Medicin. Vierter Jahrgang (Jahr 1884), page 36:

     In jenen Provinzen, besonders den beiden Hollanden und Friesland, wo sehr grosse Landesstrecken nur aus den nebeneinander gelegenen Weiden bestehen, ist [...]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (somewhat informal) Holland, the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe)

   Synonym: Niederlande

• In formal contexts, Holland referring to the whole country is now relatively rare.
• In common speech, Holland continues to be the normal word. The main reason is that the synonym Niederlande is quite long and, moreover, requires a definite article (as in English). Compare:

Wir fahren nach Holland. (three syllables)

Wir fahren in die Niederlande. (six syllables)

• Holländer
• holländisch
• Holländisch
• Holland ist offen

• “Holland” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɔl.lant/

Holland n

1. Netherlands (The main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located primarily in Western Europe bordering Germany and Belgium)
2. Netherlands, Kingdom of the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe, consisting of four constituent countries: the Netherlands per se, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten)

From Middle High German Hollant, from Old Dutch Hollant.

• IPA^(key): /ˈholant/, [ˈholɑnt]

• Audio

  (file)

Holland n

1. Holland, the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe)

• Nidderlanden

• Hollänner
• hollännesch; Hollännesch

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

Holland

1. (archaic) Holland, the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe)

   Synonym: Nederland

2. Holland (a traditional region in the Netherlands formed by two modern provinces, North Holland and South Holland)

• hollender, nederlender
• hollandsk, nederlandsk

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

Holland

1. (archaic) Holland, the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe)

   Synonym: Nederland

2. Holland (a traditional region in the Netherlands formed by two modern provinces, North Holland and South Holland)

• nederlendar
• hollandsk, nederlandsk

From Dutch Holland.

• Audio

  (file)

Holland n (genitive Hollands)

1. Holland (a traditional region in the Netherlands formed by two modern provinces, North Holland and South Holland)
2. Holland, the Netherlands (a country in Western Europe)