baaskap
|baas-kap|
/ˈbɑːskɑp/
boss-ness; domination
Etymology
'baaskap' originates from Afrikaans, specifically the compound built from 'baas' meaning 'boss' and the suffix '-skap' meaning 'state, condition, or quality'.
'baaskap' developed from Dutch elements: Dutch 'baas' (from Middle Dutch 'baes') combined with the suffix '-schap' (Old Dutch/Proto-Germanic *skapą), a cognate of English '-ship'; the compound evolved in Afrikaans as 'baaskap'.
Initially it meant 'the state or condition of being a boss', but over time in South Africa it acquired stronger connotations of social and racial domination under colonial and apartheid systems.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or condition of being a boss; authority, control, or dominance exercised by a boss or ruling figure.
The small company operated under strict baaskap, with senior managers deciding every policy.
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Noun 2
in the South African historical and political context: domination or rule (often racially based) by white authorities — an oppressive system of control associated with colonialism and apartheid.
Activists criticized the legacy of baaskap for maintaining unequal power relations after colonial rule.
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Last updated: 2025/12/22 18:42