German

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Middle High German brosem, broseme or brosme, from Old High German brōsama or brōsma. There is a connection to Old English brosnian (to fall apart, to foul). Therefore, originally, Brosame meant broken off piece.[1] Not related to Samen (seed).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈbʁoːzaˑmə/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Bro‧sa‧me

Noun

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Brosame f (genitive Brosame, plural Brosamen)

  1. (dated or regional, southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland) crumb
    Synonym: Krümel
    Für ihn blieben nur die Brosamen übrig.
    Only the crumbs were left for him.
    • 1994, Ursula Assaf-Nowak, Der Vorbote, Gleichnisse und Gedichte, translation of Khalil Gibran, The Forerunner, 1920, →ISBN
      Seine Liebe ist die eines Anspruchslosen, der sich mit Brosamen zufriedengibt, selbst wenn er an einer königlichen Tafel sitzt.
      It is the love of a needy one, who picks crumbs even as he sits at kingly feasts.

Usage notes

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  • In contemporary German the derivative Brösel (an old diminutive) is more common (but also regionally restricted).

Declension

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Derived terms

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Christoph Gutknecht, Pustekuchen! Lauter kulinarische Wortgeschichten, Verlag C.H.Beck oHG, München 2002, →ISBN, “Brosamen”, p. 50

Further reading

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