gau

noun

ˈgau̇
plural gaus
-au̇z
or gaue
-au̇ə
1
: a region or district in German tribal organization including two or more marks and inhabited by kindred tribes
2
: one of the 20 party districts into which Germany including Austria was divided by the National Socialists

Word History

Etymology

German, from Old High German gouw-, gewi district, region; akin to Old English -gē district, region (in place names), Old Frisian , Old Saxon -gō (in place names), Gothic gawi; all probably from a prehistoric West Germanic-East Germanic compound whose components are represented respectively by Old High German gi- (perfective and collective prefix) and ouwa land by water, meadow

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Dictionary Entries Near gau

Cite this Entry

“Gau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gau. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

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