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Alter. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
Alter, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
Alter in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
Alter you have here. The definition of the word
Alter will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
Alter, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
German
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle High German alter, from Old High German altar, from Proto-Germanic *aldrą. Cognate with German Low German Oller.
Noun
Alter n (strong, genitive Alters, plural Alter)
- age, old age
1834, Rahel. Ein Buch des Andenkens für ihre Freunde. Erster Theil, Berlin, page 275:Sie sind Eines Alters - They are of the same age
- antiquity
- epoch, age
Declension
Derived terms
Descendants
See also
Etymology 2
Nominalization of adjective alt.
Noun
Alter m (adjectival, definite nominative der Alte, genitive (des) Alten, plural Alte, definite plural die Alten, feminine Alte)
- nominalization of alt (“someone or something old or bygone”)
- old man; old person
- (colloquial) mate, bloke (UK); dude, guy (US); a somewhat intimate or mildly dismissive word for a man, especially but not exclusively used as a vocative
- Synonyms: (regional) Keule, Mann, Kumpel, Digga
Alter! Komm zurück, wir müssen hier links.- Dude! Come back, we need to go left here.
Haste ma ’n Euro für was zu essen, Alter?- You got a euro for summat to eat, mate?
Wenn irgendso’n Alter hier Ärger macht, schmeiß ihn gleich raus.- If some bloke acts up in here, kick him right out.
- Ihr Alter hat sie sitzen lassen. ― Her guy jilted her.
Declension
Interjection
Alter
- (colloquial, chiefly slang) man, dude, mate; used for emphasis
- Synonym: Junge
Alter, was denn hier los?- Man, what’s going on in here?
Usage notes
- This use is derived from the word for a man above and is not always clearly distinguishable from it. It is more marked as slang, however, and is also quite common when addressing a female (the latter part in line with the more usual synonym Mann).
Etymology 3
Noun
Alter f
- inflection of Alte:
- strong genitive/dative singular
- strong genitive plural
Further reading
- “Alter” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “Alter” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- “Alter” in Duden online
- “Alter” in Duden online
Luxembourgish
Etymology
From German Alter n. The masculine gender, though existing dialectally in German, is probably triggered by French âge.
Pronunciation
Noun
Alter m (plural Alteren)
- age
- old age