aansteker
/ˈaːnˌsteː.kər/
The English phrase 'cigarette lighter' is translated into Dutch as aansteker.
In Dutch, aansteker is the general term for any lighter, whether it is intended for cigarettes or other purposes. Colloquially, speakers may also refer to a lighter as a bic, a term derived from the brand BIC.
What does it mean word for word?
The word aansteker is a compound of aan (on/to) and steker, which comes from steken (to poke, thrust or light). It literally means 'something that lights/ignites'.
How does it change in a sentence?
aansteker is a masculine/feminine noun that takes the definite article de. The plural form is aanstekers.
How do you pronounce it?
The word consists of 3 syllables, with the first syllable stressed. The IPA is /ˈaːnˌsteː.kər/.
Did you know?
- Because aansteker literally means 'something that ignites', the same word was historically used for a person whose job it was to light the town's street lamps.
- In Dutch, the word for a match is lucifer, which comes from the Latin name for the planet Venus as the 'morning star'.
- The word aansteker is linguistically related to the way Dutch speakers describe the act of plugging in an electrical device.
Examples in context
- Mag ik uw aansteker lenen?May I borrow your cigarette lighter?
- Ik heb een aansteker nodig.I need a lighter.
- Waar is mijn aansteker?Where is my lighter?
- Deze aansteker werkt niet meer.This lighter doesn't work anymore.
Example conversation
Levi and Sophie are standing outside a cafe.
- LeviSophie, heb jij een aansteker?Sophie, do you have a lighter?
- SophieJa, ik heb er een.Yes, I have one.
- LeviBedankt, ik kon de mijn niet vinden.Thanks, I couldn't find mine.
- SophieGeen probleem, Levi.No problem, Levi.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry aansteker, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
