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Krake - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Norwegian Kraken, definite singular of krake (“sea monster”).

Krake (traditional or scientific) m (weak, genitive Kraken, plural Kraken) or
Krake (colloquial) f (genitive Krake, plural Kraken)

  1. (chiefly sciences) a mollusk of the order Octopoda; an octopus in the broader sense
  2. (mythology or figuratively) a kraken (sea monster)

    Das Schiff wurde von einer Krake (einem Kraken) versenkt.

    The ship was sunk by a kraken.
    die/der Krake des Kapitalismus ― the kraken of capitalism
  • Krake, Oktopus and Tintenfisch are all distinguished in scientific use. Non-specialist speakers, however, tend to reserve Krake to the sea monster and use Tintenfisch and Oktopus interchangeably.
  • Prescriptive grammars define Krake as masculine, which is the traditional usage and is still common in some regions. On the whole, however, Krake is now predominantly treated as feminine outside of scientific use.

Declension of Krake [masculine (traditional or scientific), weak]