noun

German

JUR-muhn

noun

A native or citizen of Germany.

"Many Germans travel to the coast for their summer holidays."

The West Germanic language spoken mainly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

"She studied German for three years before moving to Berlin."

adj

Relating to Germany, its people, culture, or language.

"They ordered German beer and sausages at the festival."

Sharing both parents, or being a first cousin through a full sibling of one's parent (a formal, somewhat old-fashioned usage, as in "cousin-german").

"They are cousins-german, sharing the same grandparents."

How to Use German

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRelating to Germany or its language — or, in an older formal sense, "closely related by blood."

Easily confused with

germane

Common pairings

German language German efficiency cousin-german

Word Forms

more German comparative, more german comparative, Germans plural, germans plural, germans plural, most German superlative, Germanest superlative, most german superlative

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Many _____ travel to the coast for their summer holidays.

Etymology

From Latin Germanus, the Roman name for the peoples living east of the Rhine — not historically connected to the unrelated adjective "german" meaning "closely related," which comes through a different route from the same Latin root.

Synonyms

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Teutonic Germanic

Related Words

Germanic

Rhymes for German

merman Herman Berman Sherman superman peterman alderman waterman Ackerman Huberman elderman fisherman

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