Dutch word grachtengordel comes from Dutch gracht, Dutch gordel, Dutch -en-
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| gracht | Dutch (nld) | (Belgium) ditch, trench (in the countryside, referring to both those that contain water and those that are dry). (Netherlands) canal (in a city, with houses on each side). (obsolete) grave. |
| gordel | Dutch (nld) | Belt, a (typically leather) band worn around the waist. Belt, roughly belt-shaped area. |
| -en- | Dutch (nld) | Genitival interfix indicating that the former part is a characteristic of the latter. |
| grachtengordel | Dutch (nld) | (politics, figurative) alleged abode of the elite. Canal belt; used mostly to refer to canal system of Amsterdam, and to lesser extent to similar systems in other Dutch cities. |