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Geißel. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
Geißel, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
Geißel in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
Geißel you have here. The definition of the word
Geißel will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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German
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle High German geisel(e), from Old High German geisila (“whip”). Cognate with Dutch gesel. The spelling with -ß- reflects sporadic devoicing; compare the frequent pronunciations of niesen or Preiselbeere. Its use for distinguishing between Geißel and Geisel (“hostage”) is an arbitrary convention, which fully established itself only around 1900. (The two words are not related but became merged in Early Modern German.)
Noun
Geißel f (genitive Geißel, plural Geißeln)
- (Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland) Synonym of Peitsche (“whip”)
- (elsewhere only) scourge (whip used for flagellation)
- (figurative) scourge (persistent source of harm, especially when seen as divine punishment)
- Synonyms: Plage, Heimsuchung
- (biology) flagellum
Declension
Derived terms
Etymology 2
See the main lemma.
Noun
Geißel f (genitive Geißel, plural Geißeln) or
Geißel m (strong, genitive Geißels, plural Geißel)
- Obsolete form (now misspelling) of Geisel (“hostage”)
Further reading
- “Geißel” in Duden online
- “Geißel” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache