Geißbock

German edit

Alternative forms edit

Geissbock (Switzerland, Liechtenstein)

Etymology edit

From Geiß +‎ Bock.

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /ˈɡaɪsˌbɔk/
Audio (file)
Hyphenation: Geiß‧bock

Noun edit

Geißbock m (strong, genitive Geißbockes or Geißbocks, plural Geißböcke)

billy goat, he-goat
Synonym: Ziegenbock

Usage notes edit

The word is most common in southern Germany and Austria. Moreover, it is also used – alongside Ziegenbock – in some more northern regions where Geiß itself has become rare (probably because the compound with Bock is more transparent and generally intelligible than the bare word).

Declension edit

Declension of Geißbock [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Geißbock	die	Geißböcke
genitive	eines	des	Geißbockes, Geißbocks	der	Geißböcke
dative	einem	dem	Geißbock, Geißbocke¹	den	Geißböcken
accusative	einen	den	Geißbock	die	Geißböcke

¹Now rare, see notes.

Synonyms edit

Bock (includes other species such as sheep)