gouw

From Middle Dutch gou, gau, gō (genitive gooy), from Old Dutch gō, from Proto-West Germanic *gawi, from Proto-Germanic *gawją, a collective form equivalent to ge- (“a prefix that indicates a single collective whole”) +‎ ouwe (“land near water or drenched with water”). Cognate of West Frisian gea, goa, German Gau.

• IPA^(key): /ɣɑu̯/

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• Hyphenation: gouw
• Rhymes: -ɑu̯
• Homophones: gauw, Gauw

gouw f (plural gouwen, diminutive gouwtje n or gouwken n)

1. (archaic) geographical area; shire

   Synonym: landstreek

   in de Dietse gouwen

   in the Low Countries

2. (historical) An administrative region in Francia; gau

   Synonym: pagus

   (Can we add an example for this sense?)

• Gooi

• Van Dale, 11. edition (1984)