A Dictionary of Dutchness

Swaffelen

Swaffelen – a new word meaning ‘to deliberately tap male genitalia against an object’ – was voted Word of the Year in the 2009 poll held by language lobby group Onze Taal and the publishers of the Van Dale dictionary. Second in the internet poll was wiiën (to play games with a Wii computer) and third was bankendomino (which means a string of bankruptcies among banks).