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gegen. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
gegen, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
gegen in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
gegen you have here. The definition of the word
gegen will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
gegen, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
German
Etymology
Inherited from Middle High German gegen, from Old High German gagan, from Proto-West Germanic *gagin, from Proto-Germanic *gagin. Cognate with Dutch tegen, English against, Icelandic gegn.
Pronunciation
Preposition
gegen (+ accusative)
- against
- Synonym: wider
Die Erklärung der Vereinten Nationen über die Beseitigung der Gewalt gegen Frauen.- The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.
- toward (i.e. directed to someone/something)
- toward (i.e. in the direction of)
- approximately, around
- in exchange for
- facing
- compare to
Usage notes
- Like its Middle High German predecessor, gegen was formerly also used with the dative, especially by Upper German writers. Compare entgegen, which still takes dative.
Further reading
- “gegen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Middle High German
Alternative forms
Etymology
Inherited from Old High German gagan, gagen, gegin.
Preposition
gegen (+ dative, sometimes + accusative)
- against
Descendants