lekker

English

Etymology

From Afrikaans lekker, from Dutch lekker.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛkə(ɹ)/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

lekker (comparative more lekker, superlative most lekker)

1. (South Africa) Tasty, nice, fun, great.
   • 2010, Cameron Blake, From Soldier to Civvy: Reflections on National Service:

     There were 2 000 rounds of ammo to fire between us four loadies. We sat there for hours and took our potshots. It was kiff; the R5 was a lekker thing.

2. (South Africa) Good in a generic sense, worthy, functional.
   • 1998, Leon Schuster, Leon Schuster's lekker, thick South African joke book, page 164:

     The other men ask why he's crying, when he's got such a lekker car. The guy shakes his head and says, "I just saw my wife, and she was driving a skateboard."

Derived terms

• lekker lewe

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch lekker, from Middle Dutch lecker, derived from the verb lekken (“lick”). Akin to German lecker.

The noun is a backformation from Dutch lekkers, which is a mass noun derived from the partitive form (as in iets lekkers). In Afrikaans it was reinterpreted as a plural.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlækər/, (Cape dialect) /ˈlɛkər/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

lekker (attributive lekker or (emphatic or archaic) lekkere, comparative lekkerder, superlative lekkerste)

1. having a nice taste, tasty, good, delicious

   Die kos het lekker gesmaak.

   The food tasted nice.

2. good, fun, nice in a more generic sense

   Lekker tye. ― Fun times

3. (informal) foxy, sexy

   Kyk na daai lekker ding

   Look at that foxy thing

4. (chiefly in the negative) Healthy, well, in good health (not afflicted by illness).

   ’n Paar minute nadat die klas gekla het, het die dosent ook nie lekker begin voel nie.

   A few minutes after the class complained, the teacher also began to feel unwell.

Inflection

Inflection of lekker

	predicative	attributive	independent		partitive
			singular	plural
positive	lekker	lekker, lekkere	lekkere	lekkeres	lekkers
comparative	lekkerder		lekkerdere	lekkerderes	lekkerders
superlative	lekkerste			lekkerstes	—

Derived terms

• lekkerbek
• lekkergeloof
• lekkerkry
• lekkerleesboek
• lekkerluister
• lekkerlyf
• lekkerny
• lekkermaakkoek

Descendants

• → English: lekker

Adverb

lekker

1. good, nice, fun in a more generic sense.

   Ons het lekker gespeel.

   We played nicely. / We had a great time playing.

2. good and hard or properly, badly

   Hy was lekker ingeloop.

   He was swindled badly. / He was properly swindled

Interjection

lekker

1. yum!, yummy!, delicious!
2. goody! hah!, used sarcastically to show disapproval, disrespect or contempt

   Lekker! Jy wou mos!

   You just wanted to do that, huh?

Noun

lekker (plural lekkers, diminutive lekkertjie)

1. sweet, a piece of candy
2. (uncountable) pleasure, enjoyment

Synonyms

• (candy): lekkergoed
• (enjoyment, pleasure): genot
• (pleasure): lekkerte
• (pleasure, satisfaction): plesier

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛ.kər/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: lek‧ker
• Rhymes: -ɛkər

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch lecker, derived from the verb lekken (“lick”) (Dutch likken). Cognate to German lecker, Afrikaans lekker, Middle Low German lecker, Norwegian lekker, Swedish läcker and Danish lækker. More at lick.

Adjective

lekker (comparative lekkerder, superlative lekkerst)

1. having a nice taste, tasty, delectable

   Het eten is weer lekker vandaag, mam! ― The dinner is tasty again today, mum!

2. (Netherlands) good, nice, pleasant, satisfying in a more generic sense

   Lekker weer! ― Nice weather!

   Het badwater is lekker warm. ― The bathwater is pleasantly warm.

   Ik ga zo lekker zwemmen. ― I'm going for a nice swim.

3. (colloquial) hot, sexy, physically attractive

   Hij is zo'n lekker ding! ― He's such a hottie!

   Hé, lekkere meid! ― Hey, sexy girl!

4. (Netherlands, mainly with negative polarity) Healthy, well, in good health (not afflicted by illness)

   Een paar minuten nadat de klas klaagde, begon de docent zich ook niet lekker te voelen.

   A few minutes after the class complained, the teacher also began to feel unwell.

5. (Netherlands, informal) sound of mind, sane

   Ben jij wel helemaal lekker, gore aap?

   Are you fucking out of your mind, you filthy ape?

   De nieuwe onderzoeksassistente is een genie, maar volgens mij is ze niet zo lekker in haar bovenkamer.

   The new research assistant is a genius, but I think she's not mentally well up there.

Usage notes

• This adjective, especially its adverbial use, often has an ironic meaning (particularly the sense nice, pleasant), e.g. lekker belangrijk or lekker boeiend for "not very important/interesting", or lekker type for "not a very pleasant person".

Declension

Declension of lekker
uninflected	lekker
inflected	lekkere
comparative	lekkerder
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		lekker	lekkerder	het lekkerst het lekkerste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	lekkere	lekkerdere	lekkerste
	n. sing.	lekker	lekkerder	lekkerste
	plural	lekkere	lekkerdere	lekkerste
definite		lekkere	lekkerdere	lekkerste
partitive		lekkers	lekkerders	—

Derived terms

• kiplekker
• lekker belangrijk
• lekkerbek
• lekkernij
• lekkers n
• lekker stuk n
• slaap lekker
• verlekkerd

Descendants

• Afrikaans: lekker
  • → English: lekker
• Negerhollands: lekker

Etymology 2

Adjective

lekker

1. comparative degree of lek

Etymology 3

From lekken +‎ -er.

Noun

lekker m (plural lekkers, diminutive lekkertje n)

1. leaker

   Maar deze memo ... lekte uit. Of Apple inmiddels weet wie de lekker was?

   But this memo ... leaked out. Does Apple know by now who was the leaker?

Anagrams

• krekel

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

lekker

1. present of lekke