zuster

== Dutch == === Etymology === From Middle Dutch suster, from Old Dutch swester, from Proto-Germanic *swestēr, from Proto-Indo-European *swésōr. The sense “nurse” from the fact that (before the Reformation and in Catholic areas until recently) the majority of nurses were nuns; already in Middle Dutch generalized to lay nurses. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈzʏstər/ Hyphenation: zus‧ter Rhymes: -ʏstər === Noun === zuster f (plural zusters, diminutive zustertje n) (somewhat formal, dated) sister (female sibling) Synonym: zus sister (fictive female kin member) sister (nun) Synonym: non (female) nurse (woman who provides care for the ill) Synonyms: pleegzuster, verpleegster, ziekenzuster ==== Usage notes ==== (female medical nurse): Zuster generally is not used anymore as a job title in medical organisations, where verpleegkundige, verpleger or verpleegster (the latter specifically for women) are the usual titles. It remains a common term in everyday language, however. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== Afrikaans: suster Berbice Creole Dutch: sosro, sosoro Skepi Creole Dutch: soster → Caribbean Hindustani: sester → Caribbean Javanese: soster, sester → Indonesian: suster → Saramaccan: soosútu == Indonesian == === Noun === zustêr (plural zuster-zuster or para zuster) dated form of suster