German

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noun (1)

Ger·​man ˈjər-mən How to pronounce German (audio)
1
a
: a native or inhabitant of Germany
b
: a person of German descent
c
: one whose native language is German and who is a native of a country other than Germany
2
a
: the Germanic language spoken mainly in Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland
b
: the literary and official language of Germany
3
: a member of any of the Germanic peoples inhabiting western Europe in Roman times
4
often not capitalized
a
: a dance consisting of intricate figures that are improvised and intermingled with waltzes
b
chiefly Midland US : a dancing party
specifically : one at which the german is danced

German

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adjective (1)

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Germany, the Germans, or German

german

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adjective (2)

ger·​man ˈjər-mən How to pronounce german (audio)
: having the same parents or the same grandparents on either the maternal or paternal side
usually used after the noun which it modifies and joined to it by a hyphen
brother-german
cousin-german

german

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noun (2)

obsolete
: a near relative

Examples of German in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In 2015, the writer Frank Witzel was awarded the German Book Prize for his 800-page novel, The Invention of the Red Army Faction by a Manic-Depressive Teenager in the Summer of 1969. Katja Hoyer, semafor.com, 19 July 2025 Since retiring after the 2022 season, the German has been out of the spotlight, working behind the scenes to create progress in causes such as women in motorsport and environmental challenges. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025 Refugee women also face greater barriers because of lower education levels attained, and also tend to learn German slower than men (no doubt in part due to their often having to stay at home more). Frey Lindsay, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025 The death of Lauren German's Leslie Shay in the season 2 finale cliffhanger and season 3 premiere served as the show's first devastating death and created a ripple effect that remains a part of the show (her name remains on Ambulance 61, for example). Breanne L. Heldman, People.com, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for German

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Medieval Latin Germanus, from Latin

Adjective (2)

Middle English germain, from Anglo-French, from Latin germanus having the same parents, from germen

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of German was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“German.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/German. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

German

noun
Ger·​man
ˈjər-mən
1
: a person born or living in Germany
2
: the Germanic language of Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland
German adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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