enkel

See also: Enkel

Afrikaans

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛŋ.kəl/
• Hyphenation: en‧kel

Etymology 1

From Dutch enkel, from Middle Dutch enkel.

Adjective

enkel (attributive enkele or enkel, not comparable)

1. single
2. a few
3. alone

Derived terms

• enkelbank
• enkelbed
• enkelbeentjie
• enkelbreedte
• enkeldekker
• enkeligwerkend
• enkeling
• enkelkaartjie
• enkelkwartiere
• enkelloopgeweer
• enkelmediumskool
• enkelplooi
• enkelreis
• enkelskyfkoppelaar
• enkelspel
• enkelspeler
• enkelspoor
• enkelsteek
• enkelverdiepinghuis
• enkelvoor
• enkelvoorploeg
• enkelvoud
• enkelvoudig
• enkelwoonstel
• enkelwoord

Descendants

• → Indonesian: engkel

Etymology 2

From Dutch enkel, from Middle Dutch enkel, ankel, from Old Dutch *enkal, *ankal, from Proto-Germanic *ankulaz.

Noun

enkel (plural enkels, diminutive enkeltjie)

1. ankle

Derived terms

• enkelbeen
• enkeldiep
• enkelgewrig
• enkelskut
• enkelverband
• enkelverstuiting

Danish

Etymology

From Middle Low German enkel, see also en (“one”)

Adjective

enkel (neuter enkelt, plural and definite singular attributive enkle)

1. single, singular

   en enkel legion

   one single legion

2. simple

Inflection

Inflection of enkel

	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	enkel	enklere	enklest2
indefinite neuter singular	enkelt	enklere	enklest2
plural	enkle	enklere	enklest2
definite attributive1	enkle	enklere	enkleste

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Derived terms

• enkelhed

References

• “enkel” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛŋ.kəl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: en‧kel
• Rhymes: -ɛŋkəl

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch enkel, possibly from Old Dutch *ēnkal, from Proto-West Germanic *ainakul, from Proto-Germanic *ainakulaz (“only, sole”), related to Proto-Germanic *ainahô (“only, sole”). Cognate with West Frisian inkel (“single”), Middle Low German enkel, enkelt (“simple, single”), German Low German enkelt (“sole, single, only, lone”), Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌺𐌻𐍃 (ainakls, “lone, solitary, desolate”). Compare also Old Norse einka (“sole, only”).

Adjective

enkel (not comparable)

1. single

   Hij is een enkel kind. ― He is an only child.

   Ze heeft een enkel paar schoenen. ― She has a single pair of shoes.

2. only, sole

   Deze oplossing is de enkel mogelijke uitkomst. ― This solution is the sole possible outcome.

   Het is de enkel juiste beslissing. ― It's the only right decision.

Declension

Declension of enkel
uninflected	enkel
inflected	enkele
comparative	—
		positive
predicative/adverbial		enkel
indefinite	m./f. sing.	enkele
	n. sing.	enkel
	plural	enkele
definite		enkele
partitive		enkels

Derived terms

• enkelbaans
• enkele reis
• enkeling
• enkelspoor
• enkelsteens
• enkelvoud

Adverb

enkel

1. exclusively, only, solely

   Synonyms: alleen, uitsluitend

   Dit product is enkel verkrijgbaar in gespecialiseerde winkels. ― This product is available exclusively in specialized stores.

   Hij richt zich enkel op zijn studie en niets anders. ― He focuses only on his studies and nothing else.

   Ze werkt enkel met biologische ingrediënten in haar restaurant. ― She works solely with organic ingredients in her restaurant.

Descendants

• Afrikaans: enkel
• Jersey Dutch: änkelt
• → Papiamentu: ènkel

Etymology 2

From Middle Dutch enkel, ankel, from Old Dutch *enkal, *ankal, from Proto-Germanic *ankulaz.

Noun

enkel m (plural enkels, diminutive enkeltje n)

1. ankle

   Hij verstuikte zijn enkel tijdens het sporten. ― He sprained his ankle while playing sports.

   Ze draagt een bandage om haar geblesseerde enkel te ondersteunen. ― She is wearing a bandage to support her injured ankle.

   Ik voel wat pijn in mijn linker enkel na het joggen. ― I feel some pain in my left ankle after jogging.

Derived terms

• enkelband
• enkelring

Descendants

• Afrikaans: enkel
• → Aukan: enkii
• → Papiamentu: ènkel

Anagrams

• leken

Middle Low German

Etymology

From Old Saxon ankel.

Noun

enkel n

1. ankle

Descendants

• Low German: Ankel
• → Norwegian: ankel
• → Swedish: ankel

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Low German eneste, related to en

Adjective

enkel (neuter singular enkelt, definite singular and plural enkle, comparative enklere, indefinite superlative enklest, definite superlative enkleste)

1. easy
2. simple

Derived terms

• enkelhet

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Middle Low German [Term?].

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛŋkɛl/, /ˈæŋkɛl/

Adjective

enkel (neuter singular enkelt, definite singular and plural enkle, comparative enklare, indefinite superlative enklast, definite superlative enklaste)

1. easy
2. simple

Further reading

• “enkel” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Saxon

Noun

enkel m

1. alternative form of ankel

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish enkil, from Middle Low German enkel, from Proto-Germanic *ainkila-, equivalent to en (“one”) + -el. Compare etymology of English simple. Cognate with Danish enkel, enkelt, Norwegian enkel, Icelandic ekkil, Dutch enkel and Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌺𐌻𐍃 (ainakls). Compare also Latin singulus with the same suffix. See also änka (“widow”) and änkling (“widower”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛŋ.kɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

enkel

1. simple, easy (not difficult)

   Synonym: lätt

   Antonyms: (difficult) svår, (complicated) komplicerad

   Att lära sig ett främmande språk är inte alltid enkelt

   Learning a foreign language isn't always easy

   en enkel uppgift

   a simple task

   Vi vill göra det enklare att resa med tåg

   We want to make it easier to travel by train

2. simple (not complex)

   Antonym: komplex

   en båt med en enkel konstruktion

   a boat with a simple construction

   Jag är en enkel man

   I'm a simple man

   en enkel maskin

   a simple machine

   1. simple (plain)

      Lisa bor i en enkel våning utan dekorationer

      Lisa lives in a simple apartment without decorations

      Jag vill bara ha en enkel kopp kaffe utan socker eller andra konstigheter i

      I just want a simple cup of coffee without sugar or other weird things in it

3. single (not double or more)

   Antonyms: (double) dubbel, (multiple) multipel

   Vill du ha en enkel eller dubbel burgare?

   Do you want a single or double burger?

   En enkel whiskey, tack

   A single shot of whiskey, please

   1. one-way, single

      Vill du ha en enkelbiljett eller tur och retur / en tur och retur-biljett?

      Do you want a one-way ticket or a round-trip ticket?

Declension

Inflection of enkel

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	enkel	enklare	enklast
neuter singular	enkelt	enklare	enklast
plural	enkla	enklare	enklast
masculine plural2	enkle	enklare	enklast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	enkle	enklare	enklaste
all	enkla	enklare	enklaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Related terms

• enkelhet

See also

• enkelbiljett
• förenkla
• helt enkelt
• tillkrånglad

References

• enkel in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• enkel in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)

Anagrams

• enkle, leken