hollanders

IPA/hˈɒləndəz/
KK[hˈɑləndɚz]IPA/hˈɑːləndərz/

hollanders — noun

1. people who come from Holland, a region in the western part of the Netherlands

1.nounB1
Definition

people who come from Holland, a region in the western part of the Netherlands

Example

In the 17th century, Hollanders built a vast trading network across Asia and the Americas.

historical context; 17th-century trade routes

Many Hollanders speak excellent English in addition to their native Dutch.

language ability; multilingualism of the Dutch

Common collocations
  • Hollanders + verb (built, speak, have, established, created)
  • the Hollanders (with definite article for the people as a group)
  • Hollanders of the 17th century
  • the Hollanders + noun (tradition, culture, history, trade)
Synonyms
  • the Dutch

    the standard, more common term for all people of the Netherlands; 'the Dutch' is the usual choice in modern English

  • Netherlanders

    a formal or dated alternative that refers to people from the whole country; rarely used in conversation

Grammar Patterns

the Hollander as a collective singular

Hollanders + plural verb

Usage Note

Less common than 'the Dutch' in everyday English. 'Hollanders' can refer specifically to people from the provinces of North and South Holland, while 'the Dutch' covers all people of the Netherlands. In casual conversation the two are often used interchangeably.

Common Mistakes

A Hollanders visited Amsterdam last week.
A Hollander visited Amsterdam last week.
'Hollanders' is the plural form; use 'Hollander' (without -s) for one person.
The Hollanders is known for its cheese.
The Hollanders are known for their cheese.
As a plural noun, 'Hollanders' takes a plural verb and plural pronouns.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms refer to people from the Netherlands, but they differ in range and register. 'The Dutch' is the standard collective noun — the word you will see in news articles, textbooks, and everyday conversation. 'Hollanders' is more specific: it points to people from the provinces of North and South Holland rather than the entire country, though many speakers use it as a synonym for 'the Dutch'. 'Netherlanders' is a formal or dated alternative that never appears in casual speech. 'Hollander' (singular) refers to one individual from Holland. For example, a news headline would say 'the Dutch voted in national elections,' not 'the Hollanders voted.' But a history text might write 'the Hollanders dominated world trade in the 1600s.'

the DutchNetherlanders ↗Hollander

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Hollanders tradition
  • Hollanders culture
  • Hollanders history

Phrases

  • the Hollanders (the people as a group)

Prepositions

  • among Hollanders
  • of Hollanders
  • by Hollanders

Etymology

Middle DutchDutchEnglish

The word 'Hollanders' is formed from 'Holland' (the name of a region in the western Netherlands) plus the agent suffix '-er' (meaning a person from) and the plural '-s'. 'Holland' itself comes from Middle Dutch 'Holtland', meaning 'wooded land' — referring to the forests that once covered the area. The term has been used in English since the 16th century to describe the people of that region.