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German

Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒɜː.mən/

The English word “German” has 11 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A native or inhabitant of Germany; a person of German citizenship or nationality.
  2. A member of a Germanic tribe.
  3. A German wine.
  4. A size of type between American and Saxon, 1+¹⁄₂-point type.
  5. A Germany-produced car, a “German whip”.
  6. A prison warder.

proper noun

  1. An Indo-European (Indo-Germanic) language, primarily spoken in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, South Tyrol, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and a small part of Belgium.
  2. A number of townships in the United States, listed under German Township.

adjective

  1. Of or relating to the nation of Germany.
  2. Of or relating to the natives or inhabitants of Germany; to people of German descent; to their cultures.
  3. Of, in or relating to the German language.

Etymology

From Latin Germānus, Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly Celtic/Gaulish). Not related to german (“closely related”) or germane (from the Latin adjective germānus, through Old French). Attested since at least 1520. Replaced the older terms Almain and Dutch (from Proto-Germanic *þiudiskaz) in…

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