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german
[ jur-muhn ]
/ ˈdʒɜr mən /
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adjective
having the same father and mother, as a full brother or sister (usually used in combination): a brother-german.
born of the brother or sister of one's father or mother, as a first cousin (usually used in combination): a cousin-german.
Archaic. germane.
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Origin of german
Words nearby german
Other definitions for german (2 of 2)
German
[ jur-muhn ]
/ ˈdʒɜr mən /
adjective
of or relating to Germany, its inhabitants, or their language.
noun
Origin of German
1520–30; <Latin GermānusGerman; cognate with Greek Germanoí (plural)
OTHER WORDS FROM German
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use german in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for german (1 of 3)
german1
/ (ˈdʒɜːmən) /
noun
US a dance consisting of complicated figures and changes of partners
Word Origin for german
C19: shortened from German cotillion
British Dictionary definitions for german (2 of 3)
german2
/ (ˈdʒɜːmən) /
adjective
(used in combination)
- having the same parents as oneselfa brother-german
- having a parent that is a brother or sister of either of one's own parentscousin-german
a less common word for germane
Word Origin for german
C14: via Old French germain, from Latin germānus of the same race, from germen sprout, offshoot
British Dictionary definitions for german (3 of 3)
German
/ (ˈdʒɜːmən) /
noun
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 BibleSee also High German, Low German
a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Germany
a person whose native language is GermanSwiss Germans; Volga Germans
adjective
denoting, relating to, or using the German language
relating to, denoting, or characteristic of any German state or its people
Other words from German
Related prefixes: Germano-, Teuto-Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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