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Etymology edit

From informal use describing the British-, French-, and American-occupied zones of Germany following World War II, under influence from existing German Westdeutschland and Westdeutscher used to describe those areas of German-speaking Europe since the 17th and 18th centuries.[1]

Pronunciation edit

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Proper noun edit

West Germany

  1. (historical, 1949–1990) The Federal Republic of Germany, distinguished from the German Democratic Republic ("East Germany").
  2. (since 1990) The former areas of the Republic during that time, distinguished from the former East German areas.
  3. (historical, uncommon, 1945–1949) Collectively, the British-, French-, and American-occupied zones of Germany, distinguished from the Soviet-occupied zone.

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References edit

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. "West German, adj. and n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2012.