geuzennaam

Dutch

Etymology

From geuzen +‎ naam, from the fact that the 16th-century Dutch opposition against the Spanish rule, having been called “only beggars” (gueux) after presenting a petition of grievances, opted to reappropriate this scornfully given name, calling themselves henceforth geuzen (singular geus) and carrying this name with pride.

Pronunciation

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Noun

geuzennaam m (plural geuzennamen, diminutive geuzennaampje n)

1. a nickname or title, originally intended as an insult, which has been reclaimed for use in a positive way by its addressee(s) as a means of linguistic reappropriation