Westerveld

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A region in the Netherlands known for its distinctive landscapes ; a municipal area characterized by cultural heritage sites ; a surname of Dutch origin associated with several notable individuals
2. A geographical area in the Dutch province of Drenthe ; an administrative municipality recognized for its preserved villages ; a last name traced to people from the Netherlands
3. Refers to a territory in the northern Netherlands with historical significance ; an official local government district ; a Dutch family name held by various prominent persons

Etymology: Westerveld is a Dutch place name, and the English word is simply that name carried over unchanged. It is built from "wester", meaning "western", and "veld", meaning "field" or open land, so the name describes a place lying to the west of something. Dutch "veld" is cognate with English "field", which means the two halves of the name share their roots with familiar English words. The name has an English twin. Westfield, from the same "west" and "field" elements, is a doublet of Westerveld, meaning the two forms come from the same source but reached English along different routes. Westfield is the form that became common in English-speaking places, while Westerveld remains the Dutch spelling used for places in the Netherlands.