haai

Meaning

Noun

1. (masculine) a shark, fish of the superorder Selachimorpha (sometimes also including certain extinct shark-like members of the Elasmobranchii outside this superorder)
2. (masculine) a ruthless person
3. (masculine) a greedy person

Adj

1. (dated, slang) big, strong, firm; fortified
2. (dated) smart, clever, crafty
3. (dated, slang) fine, good

Concepts

shark

🦈

crook

villain

🦹‍♂️

Synonyms

bosliaan

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɦaːi̯/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Dutch: haeye

Cognate with Swedish: haj

Cognate with German: Hai

In summary

From Middle Dutch haeye, from Old Norse hár (“shark”), with the /j/ appearing influenced by the declined forms /hajə(n)/. Probably from Proto-Germanic *hanh-u-, related to *hakô (“hook”), referring to the shark's back fin. Cognate with Swedish haj, and German Hai.