dictionary.com

Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words

  • ️@Dictionarycom
  • ️Tue Jul 04 2023

adjective

  1. having the same father and mother, as a full brother or sister (usually used in combination):

    a brother-german.

  2. born of the brother or sister of one's father or mother, as a first cousin (usually used in combination):

    a cousin-german.

adjective

  1. of or relating to Germany,

    its inhabitants, or their language.

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Germany.

  2. a descendant of a native of Germany.

  3. Also called

    High German.

    an Indo-European language that is based on a High German

    dialect, is official in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and is also widely used as an international language for scholarship and science.

    :

    G, G.

  4. Linguistics. any variety of West Germanic

    speech native to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.

  5. (usually lowercase) an elaborate social dance resembling a cotillion.

  6. (lowercase) New England and South Atlantic States. a dancing party featuring the german.

/ ˈdʒɜːmən /

noun

  1. the official language of Germany and Austria and one of the official languages of Switzerland; the native language of approximately 100 million people. It is an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch, closely related to English and Dutch. There is considerable diversity of dialects; modern standard German is a development of Old High German, influenced by Martin Luther's translation of the Bible

    See also High German Low German

  2. a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Germany

  3. a person whose native language is German

    Volga Germans

    Swiss Germans

adjective

  1. denoting, relating to, or using the German language

  2. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of any German state or its people

/ ˈdʒɜːmən /

noun

  1. a dance consisting of complicated figures and changes of partners

/ ˈdʒɜːmən /

adjective

    1. having the same parents as oneself

      a brother-german

    2. having a parent that is a brother or sister of either of one's own parents

      cousin-german

Discover More

Other Words From

  • an·ti-Ger·man noun adjective
  • half-Ger·man adjective
  • non-Ger·man adjective noun
  • pre-Ger·man adjective noun
  • pro-Ger·man adjective noun
  • pseu·do-Ger·man adjective noun
  • qua·si-Ger·man adjective
  • un-Ger·man adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of german1

1250–1300; Middle English germain < Old French < Latin germānus, derivative of germen; germ

Origin of german2

1520–30;

< Latin Germānus German; cognate with Greek Germanoí (plural)

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of german1

C19: shortened from German cotillion

Origin of german2

C14: via Old French germain, from Latin germānus of the same race, from germen sprout, offshoot

Discover More

Example Sentences

German lawmakers have voted to allow a huge increase in defence and infrastructure spending - a seismic shift for the country that could reshape European defence.

One leading German newspaper described this vote as "A day of destiny for our nation".

It was also about freeing up €500bn for German infrastructure - fixing things like bridges and roads, but also to pay for climate change measures, something the Green Party insisted on.

Burn's dream moment came via a Facetime call from Tuchel - but even that wasn't straightforward, having already received a call from the German telling him he was in the running.

"He stops and just touches the cable lightly, you clearly see the signal," says Daniel Gerwig, global sales manager at AP Sensing, a German technology company.