Woen

See also: woen

Dutch

Etymology

A learned back-formation from the 18th or 19th century from woensdag, the first element of which is a syncopic variation through d-weakening (compare broer and broeder) of Middle Dutch *Woeden, which may have existed as simplex or only as an element in compounds, which in turn derived from Old Dutch Wuodan (“Woden”), from Proto-West Germanic *Wōdan, from Proto-Germanic *Wōdanaz, from a pre-Germanic *Wātónos. Related to Dutch woeden (“to rage”), woede (“anger”) and woedend (“angry”). Cognate with English Woden (and wode), German Wotan and Swedish Odin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʋun/
• Hyphenation: Woen
• Rhymes: -un

Proper noun

Woen m

1. (rare) the Germanic chief god Woden or Odin

   Synonyms: Wodan, Odin

   • 1864

     Een van die afgoden, van hun eigen maaksel, was Woen, de stormwind, van waar wy nog het heidensch woord Woens-dag en Woens-wagen (...) bewaard hebben. (Gezelle, 1864)

     One of their idols, of their own creation, was Woden, the stormwind, whence we still have conserved the heathen word Wednesday and Woden's carriage (...)

   • 1926

     Die jonge kerel groeit in zijne verbeelding tot een Woen die op een gevleugeld ros door de lucht rijdt. (Stijn Streuvels, 1926)

     That young man is growing in his imagination into a Woden who rides through the skies on a winged horse.

   • 2013

     De god Woen is dus genoemd naar de opperste vervoering die onze heidense voorouders zich bij hem voorstelden.

     The god Woden is hence named after the exalted ecstasy our heathen forefathers imagined when they thought of him.

Usage notes

Rare as simplex. More commonly encountered in compounds like woensdag, Woenstijd and Woenswagen and in toponyms like Woensdrecht and Woensel.