German
Meanings
- A native or inhabitant of Germany; a person of German citizenship or nationality.
- A member of the Germanic ethnic group which is the most populous ethnic group in Germany; a person of German descent.
- A member of a Germanic tribe.
- A German wine.
- A size of type between American and Saxon, 1+¹⁄₂-point type.
- A Germany-produced car, a “German whip”.
- A prison warder.
- An Indo-European (Indo-Germanic) language, primarily spoken in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, South Tyrol, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and a small part of Belgium.
- A surname.
- A male given name from Russian.
- A number of townships in the United States, listed under German Township.
- A parish of the sheading of Glenfaba, Isle of Man.
- Of or relating to the nation of Germany.
- Of or relating to the natives or inhabitants of Germany; to people of German descent; to their cultures.
- Of, in or relating to the German language.
- Having the same mother and father; a full (brother or sister).
- Being born to one’s blood aunt or uncle, a first (cousin).
- Closely related, akin.
- A near relative.
- An elaborate round dance, often with a waltz movement.
- A social party at which the german is danced.
Pronunciation
Word forms
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 English. Besides cognates of German, Almain, and Dutch, two other categories of words for the Germans in other languages are cognates of Saxon and descendants of Proto-Slavic *němьcь; see those entries for more. The surname is generally from the noun, though sometimes confused with Herman, Hermann under Russian influence. As a German surname, Americanized from Germann. Compare Germán, Germain, Jerman.