german

¹ American  

[jur-muhn] / ˈdʒɜr mən /

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.

3. Archaic. germane.

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German ² American  

[jur-muhn] / ˈdʒɜr mən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Germany, its inhabitants, or their language.

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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) a dancing party featuring the german.

German ¹ British  

/ 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

   Swiss Germans

   Volga Germans

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adjective

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

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

german ² British  

/ ˈdʒɜːmən /

adjective

1. 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

2. a less common word for germane

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german ³ British  

/ ˈdʒɜːmən /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• anti-German noun
• half-German adjective
• non-German adjective
• pre-German adjective
• pro-German adjective
• pseudo-German adjective
• quasi-German adjective
• un-German adjective

Etymology

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)

Example Sentences

Biden will be forced to consume the brief while nursing a broken foot, after slipping while playing with his german shepherd, Major.

From The Guardian • Nov. 30, 2020

The Bidens had already said that Champ and Major, their two german shepherds, will be moving into the White House.

From Slate • Nov. 29, 2020

My german grandmother's spinach "salad" started with cooking a pound of bacon; adding brown sugar, vinegar...grease and all...served hot.

From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2018

But there were many on Monday who dissented out of loyalty to the german shepherd or the cocker spaniel, and the measure barely passed.

From Time • Feb. 24, 2015

A younger brother of Mr. Hofer, who had also multiplied his paternal million, devoted himself to her seriously, and Gwynne, who soon had enough of dancing, gracefully renounced his claims to the german.

From Ancestors A Novel by Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn