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Bavarian
Etymology
From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz (“human”), from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“human, man”). Cognates include German Mensch, Yiddish מענטש (mentsh), Dutch mens, English mannish, Old Norse mennskr, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (mannisks).
Noun
Mensch m (accusative Menschen or Mensch'n, plural Menschen or Mensch'n or Menschn)
- human, human being, man
Noun
Mensch n (plural Menscher, diminutive Menscherl)
- female person, girl, woman
Derived terms
Related terms
German
Etymology
From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz (“human”), from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“human, man”). Compare Yiddish מענטש (mentsh), Dutch mens, Swedish människa, all with the primary sense of “person” or “human being”.
Pronunciation
Noun
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Mensch m (weak, genitive Menschen, plural Menschen, diminutive Menschchen n or Menschlein n, feminine Mensch or Menschin)
- human, human being, man
Usage notes
- Mensch is a weak noun in the standard language but is part of a group of nouns with a tendency to be strong colloquially, so one might hear dem Mensch instead of dem Menschen.
- In older literature, the genitive des Menschens occurs.
- The feminine die Menschin is very rare in actual use; most uses are jocular.
Declension
Hyponyms
Hyponyms
- Affenmensch (“apeman”)
- Ausnahmemensch (“exceptional person”) (philosophical, literary)
- Durchschnittsmensch (“average person/man/human being”)
- Edelmensch (“noble person”) (term coined by Karl May)
- Einzelmensch (“individual, individual person”) (philosophy, sociology, theology)
- Elefantenmensch (“Elephant Man”) (historical nickname)
- Erfolgsmensch (“highflyer, successful person, man of success”) (sociology)
- Frühmensch (“early man, early human, primitive man”) (anthropology)
- Genussmensch (“hedonist, sybarite, epicure, epicurean, pleasure-seeker”)
- Gottmensch (“God-man, Godman”) (Christian theology)
- Gutmensch
- Herrenmensch (“master human; member of the Master Race”)
- Höhlenmensch
- Jetztmensch (“present-day human/man/person”) (anthropology)
- Kopfmensch (“head person, cerebral person”) (psychology)
- Lebensmensch
- Nachtmensch
- Schlangenmensch (“contortionist”)
- Schneemensch (“Abominable Snowman, Yeti”) (cryptozoology)
Derived terms
Noun
Mensch n (strong, genitive Mensches or Menschs, plural Menscher)
- (now often derogatory) woman
Usage notes
- In older language a neutral term, then applied upon servants and dismissively as “baggage, broad”.
Declension
Derived terms
Interjection
Mensch
- man! rah!
Synonyms
Further reading
Hunsrik
Etymology
From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from man.
Pronunciation
Noun
Mensch m (plural Mensche)
- human, human being, person
Keen Mensch konnd do leve.- No human being could live here.
Derived terms
Further reading
Plautdietsch
Etymology
From Middle Low German mensche, minsche, from Old Saxon mennisk, mennisko, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz.
Noun
Mensch m (plural Menschen)
- human, human being, person