Strumpf

German

Etymology

From Middle High German strumpf, from Proto-Germanic *strumpaz (“stem, stalk”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sterh₁- (“to be stiff”). The semantic shift from "stalk, stump" to "leg clothing" came about as a result of a fashion development, where originally one-piece leg garments were separated into two parts, the trousers and the socks. The socks were interpreted as the "stump", i.e. the remainder of the leg garment. Related to stramm and strampeln.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃtʁʊm(p)f/, [ʃtʁʊmpf], [ʃtʁʊmf]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Strumpf m (strong, genitive Strumpfes or Strumpfs, plural Strümpfe, diminutive Strümpfchen n)

1. stocking; hose (women’s undergarment covering the foot, the lower leg, and part of the thigh)
2. stocking (long sock covering the foot and the lower leg)
3. (loosely) sock

Declension

Declension of Strumpf [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Strumpf	die	Strümpfe
genitive	eines	des	Strumpfes, Strumpfs	der	Strümpfe
dative	einem	dem	Strumpf, Strumpfe1	den	Strümpfen
accusative	einen	den	Strumpf	die	Strümpfe

¹Now rare, see notes.

Synonyms

• (sock): Socke

Derived terms

• bestrumpft
• Strumpfgürtel
• Strumpfhose
• Strumpfloch

 

Descendants

• → Central Franconian: Stromp
• → Kashubian: sztrimpa

Further reading

• “Strumpf” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Strumpf” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Strumpf” in Duden online
• Strumpf on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de