Geweih

German

Etymology

From Middle High German gewīge, *gewīhe (in hirzgewīh), ultimately:

• a collective derivation from an Old High German *wīa (“branch”), related with Proto-Slavic *věja (compare Slovene veja), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *woh₁y-éh₂ (“branch, twig”), see also Sanskrit वया (vayā́, “branch, twig”). The consonants -g-, -h- are then mere hiatus breakers.
• Alternatively a tool noun derived from Proto-Germanic *wiganą (“to fight”), whence Old English wīgan, related with German weigern (“to refuse”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡəˈvaɪ̯/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪ̯

Noun

Geweih n (strong, genitive Geweihs or Geweihes, plural Geweihe)

1. antlers, horns (of a deer etc.)

Usage notes

• The singular refers to one animal’s antlers as a whole. The plural refers to several animals or to different kinds.
• If it is necessary to refer to one of the two portions individually, this is called Geweihstange, in non-specialist use also Geweihhälfte.

Declension

Derived terms

• Arschgeweih
• Geweihschaufel
• Geweihstange

Descendants

• → Dutch: gewei
  • Afrikaans: gewei
  • → West Frisian: gewei

References

Further reading

• “Geweih” in Duden online
• “Geweih” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Geweih” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.