German
- 1From or about Germany, its people, or its way of life.
The German government announced new rules for trains this week.
We crossed the German border early in the morning.
Note
- 2The main language spoken in Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland.
She is learning German so she can talk to her cousins in Berlin.
The menu was written in German, so we asked the waiter for help.
SimilarDeutsch
Note
- 3A person who comes from Germany or whose family comes from Germany.
Our new neighbor is a German who moved here last year.
Two Germans joined our hiking group in the mountains.
Note
- 4Having to do with the German language, or written or spoken in it.
She bought a German dictionary before her trip to Berlin.
The teacher gave us ten German words to memorize for the quiz.
SimilarDeutsch
Note
Less common meanings
- 5A member of one of the ancient tribes that lived in and around what is now Germany.
The Romans built walls to keep the Germans out of their lands.
A German from beyond the Rhine traded furs at the Roman camp.
SimilarTeuton
Note
- 6A wine made in Germany.
The waiter suggested a sweet German instead of a French white wine.
With the roast, we drank a light German from the Mosel valley.
Note
- 7A car made in Germany.
He pulled up to the party in a shiny German.
She saved for years and finally drove home her first German.
Note
- 8
- 9A very small size of printer's type, used in the past.
German was the name for a type size so tiny that printers almost never used it.
The old printing manual lists German as a size, but type that small was hardly ever used.
Note
Showing meanings only.
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of German apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
From Latin Germānus, the name for the peoples of Germānia, which the Romans saw as different from the Gauls. Its deeper origin is uncertain, perhaps Celtic. It has been used in English since at least 1520.
Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 4 facts
- English German derives from Latin Germānus, referring to the peoples of Germānia. en.wiktionary.org
- The Romans distinguished these peoples from the Gauls. en.wikipedia.org
- The ultimate origin is uncertain, with Celtic proposed as a possibility. en.wiktionary.org
- German is attested in English by 1520. en.wiktionary.org