roetpiet

Dutch

Etymology

Equivalent to roet (“soot”) +‎ piet (“pete”).

Used as a politically correct alternative for zwarte piet, following societal discussions in the Low Countries on the origin of the face hue of Zwarte Piet, the servant of Sinterklaas (“folklore figure in the Low Countries”). Some suggest he gained his face colour whilst climbing sooty chimneys at night, which he does once a year to deliver presents to children. Others suggest that he is an African slave-servant from the colonial era, serving Sinterklaas, his white master.

Pronunciation

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Noun

roetpiet m (plural roetpieten, diminutive roetpietje n)

1. black pete

Usage notes

When used without a capital letter, the word means "one of the servants of Sinterklaas". When used with a capital letter, the word means "the servant of Sinterklaas".