Geschwister

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German

Etymology

From Middle High German geswister, from Old High German giswestar, equivalent to ge- +‎ Schwester. Compare Old Saxon gisustrōni (“sibling”), Old Frisian swesterne, susterne, sisterne (“siblings”), Old English ġesweostren (“maternal cousin, sister”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡəˈʃvɪstər/,
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Ge‧schwis‧ter
  • Rhymes: -ɪstɐ

Noun

Geschwister n (strong, genitive Geschwisters, plural Geschwister, diminutive Geschwisterchen n)

  1. (chiefly in the plural) sibling

Usage notes

  • The backformed singular das Geschwister is uncommon and very rare. It is replaced with the diminutive Geschwisterchen or the compound Geschwisterkind, both of which are generally restricted to children, however. Accordingly there is no gender-neutral word for an adult sibling.
  • An alternative singular das Geschwist may also be backformed, but this is equally rare and chiefly jocular.

Declension

Declension of Geschwister
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein das Geschwister die Geschwister
genitive eines des Geschwisters der Geschwister
dative einem dem Geschwister den Geschwistern
accusative ein das Geschwister die Geschwister

Derived terms

Further reading

Wikious
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