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vogelfrei. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
vogelfrei, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
vogelfrei in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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German
Etymology
15th century, from Vogel (“bird”) + frei (“free”). The earliest use was of persons who were free from feudal obligation and thus enjoyed freedom of movement. It seems plausible that the use for “outlawed” may be based on this, in the sense that the outlaw is forced ever to move from place to place. However, the predominantly accepted derivation is from the fact that outlaws could not be buried in Christian cemeteries and were left, as it were, to the birds. Perhaps both notions have contributed.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈfoːɡəlˌfraɪ̯/, (usually in the sense “outlawed”)
- IPA(key): /ˈfoːɡəlˈfraɪ̯/, (usually in the sense “free as a bird”)
Adjective
vogelfrei (strong nominative masculine singular vogelfreier, not comparable)
- outlawed, banished, proscribed (stripped of all rights and allowed to be killed)
- Synonyms: geächtet, gebannt, rechtlos, entrechtet
- (fairly rare) free as a bird
1843, Lina Reinhardt, “Zufalls-Spiele”, in Stunden-Blumen, Braunschweig, page 218:Er fühlte sich vogelfrei, zum ersten Male ein Mann, der sich auf seinen eigenen Willen lehne.- He felt free as a bird, for the first time a man who might rely on his own will.
Declension
Positive forms of vogelfrei (uncomparable)
Descendants
Further reading