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einst. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
einst, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
einst in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
einst you have here. The definition of the word
einst will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
einst, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
German
Etymology
From Middle High German einst, einest, from Old High German einēst, eines (“once”), from ein (“one”). More at once.
Pronunciation
Adverb
einst
- once, formerly (a long time ago)
- Synonyms: früher, (rare) einstens
- (dated) one day, at one point (sometime in the far future)
- Synonym: irgendwann
- (obsolete) once, a single time (a single repetition)
- Coordinate term: zwier (“twice”)
Usage notes
- Einst is rarely used in informal registers, and tends to have connotations of profound change or historical developments, while früher is also used informally and for smaller-scale comparisons between past and present.
Derived terms
Further reading
- “einst” in Duden online
- “einst” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “einst” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
Norwegian Nynorsk
Verb
einst
- supine of einast