koppie, noun
- Forms:
- Show more Also copjie, coppie, coppy, kopij, kopje, kopjie, koppje, koppjie, kopy.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, from Dutch kopje.
- Note:
- The Dutch spelling ‘kopje’ is still used, and is the standard form of this word in Zimbabwe.
a. An element in place names.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 285[We] halted for the night in the plain at Kopjes Fontein, so called on account of several low hills in the surrounding distance.
1939 J.F. Bense Dict. of Low-Dutch Element in Eng. Vocab. 170When the hills are low or small the dim. kopje is always used. Cf. the name Kopjes Fontein.
b. A common noun; klipkoppie. Also attributive.
1849 R. Gray Jrnls of Two Visitations I. 76Large dreary plains interrupted by rocky koppies abounding with the springbok and the gnu.
1993 J. Thomas in House & Leisure Nov. 50Paul bought a house in the Greymont koppies and lives in close communion with his two cats.
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