Where does “onbepaald” come from?

onbepaald (Dutch) comes from Dutch bepaald, from Dutch bepalen, from Middle Dutch bepalen — to put poles on/around.

onbepaald (Dutch): uncertain, indefinite

Definitions

  1. uncertain, indefinite

Ancestry of “onbepaald”, step by step

onbepaald traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch bepaald

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchbepaaldcertain; specific; definite
2Dutchbepalento determine, to figure out; to determine, to...
3Middle Dutchbepalento put poles on/around

via Dutch on

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchonrarely used as shorthand for oneven (odd), the prefix on- means not (corresponds to English un-)
Every word from Middle Dutch bepalenEvery word from Dutch bepalenEvery word from Dutch bepaald
onbepaald — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer