Baedeker

English

Baedeker's Paris (1860)

Alternative forms

• Baedeker's, Baedekers

Etymology

From German Baedeker.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): [ˈbeɪdɪkə]
• (US) IPA^(key): [ˈbeɪdəkəɹ]

Proper noun

Baedeker

1. (proprietary name) A long-established series of travel guidebooks.
   • 1905, E. M. Forster, Where Angels Fear to Tread‎^[1]:

     Mrs. Herriton did not proceed. She was not one to detect the hidden charms of Baedeker. Some of the information seemed to her unnecessary, all of it was dull.

Noun

Baedeker (plural Baedekers)

1. (by extension from the proprietary name) Any travel guide, advice for travelers, or guide pertaining to other subjects.
   • 1934 December 3, “Literary Guide: Review of The Georgian Scene by Frank Swinnerton”, in Time:

     His middle-of-the-road guidebook to the Georgians (Henry James to T. S. Eliot) will be a useful Baedeker for literary sightseers.

   • 1991 September 6, Nancy Sharkey, “Concierges: Baedekers in the Flesh”, in New York Times, page C1:

     Concierges: Baedekers in the Flesh [title]

Derived terms

• Baedeker raid

Further reading

• Baedeker on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “Baedeker”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “Baedeker, pn.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “Baedeker”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “Baedeker” in TheFreeDictionary.com, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.: Farlex, Inc., 2003–2024.

German

Alternative forms

• Bädeker

Etymology

Named after German publisher Karl Baedeker (1801–1859). The original spelling of the family name was Bädeker.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛːdɛkɐ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Baedeker m (strong, genitive Baedekers or Baedeker, plural Baedeker)

1. Baedeker (travel guide)
   • 1881, Karl May, Durch Wüste und Harem‎^[2]:

     Ich ziehe das Pferd und das Kamel den Posten und Bahnen, das Kanoe dem Steamer und die Büchse dem wohl visierten Passe vor; auch reise ich lieber nach Timbuktu oder Tobolsk als nach Nizza oder Helgoland; ich verlasse mich auf keinen Dolmetscher und auf keinen Bädeker; […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Declension of Baedeker [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Baedeker	die	Baedeker
genitive	eines	des	Baedekers, Baedeker	der	Baedeker
dative	einem	dem	Baedeker	den	Baedekern
accusative	einen	den	Baedeker	die	Baedeker

Further reading

• Baedeker-Reiseführer on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de
• “Baedeker” in Duden online