Word of the Day

: October 1, 2023

echt

adjective EKHT

What It Means

Echt is an adjective used mostly in formal or literary speech and writing as a synonym of authentic, genuine, and true.

// An echt New Englander wouldn’t dream of putting tomatoes in their clam chowder.

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echt in Context

“There is a version of ‘Tao’—call it the best piece of theater we never saw—that would have featured [Philip] Glass playing piano alongside the action onstage. But early in development, the idea was shot down by his manager; Glass just didn’t have the time. But his score is a substantial, crucial contribution. This is late Glass—far from the echt Minimalist sound of ‘Glassworks’…” — Joshua Barone, The New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023

Did You Know?

When it comes to uncommon-but-nifty words, echt is true-blue, the real deal, the genuine article. (Actually it’s an adjective, not an article, of course—but you get the drift.) The earliest known use of echt—a synonym of true and genuine—in English is credited to playwright George Bernard Shaw, who used the word in a 1916 journal article. Shaw borrowed echt directly from German, but since then others have also adapted the Yiddish word ekht, meaning “true to form.” Both the German echt and Yiddish ekht share the same Middle High German source, both contributed to the English echt, and both, therefore, are the real (etymological) McCoy.