Donau

Danish

Proper noun

Donau

1. Danube

Dutch

The river Donau, the Danube

Etymology

Borrowed from German Donau. The Middle Dutch name was denouwe.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdoːnɑu̯/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Do‧nau

Proper noun

Donau f

1. (geography) The river Danube, which flows to the Black Sea [from 17th c.]

Derived terms

• Donauland
• Donaumonarchie
• Donauzalm

Related terms

• Danubisch

German

Alternative forms

• Dunau, Tonau, Dhonau, Thonau, Donaw, Dunaw, Dhonaw, Tonaw, Tunaw, Thonaw, Thunaw (obsolete)

Etymology

Attested in this form at least since 1544. From earlier Donaw (since 1530s, D under Low German influence), from earlier Tonaw (since late 15th c., o possibly also under Low German influence), from Middle High German Tuonawe, perhaps under Slavic influence from earlier Tuonowe, Tuonow, from Old High German Tuonouwa, from something like Proto-West Germanic *Dōnauwju (cf. Middle Low German Dônouwe, Dônouw), from Proto-Germanic *Dōnawjaz paretymologically attracted to *auwju (“floodplain, meadow”), from Proto-Celtic *Dānowyos, an extended form of the river-name *Dānu, from Proto-Indo-European *déh₂nu (“river goddess”), akin to *dʰenh₂- (“to set in motion; to flow”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Austria)

  (file)

• Audio

  (file)

Proper noun

die Donau f (proper noun, usually definite, definite genitive der Donau)

1. Danube (a river that flows through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine; the second-longest river in Europe)
   • 1544, Lorenz Fries, Historie, Nahmen, Geschlecht, Wesen, Thaten, gantz Leben und Sterben der gewesenen Bischoffen zu Wirtzburg und Hertzogen zu Francken:

     Aposteln nach der länge anzeigen; fiengan den christlichen glauben von dem jüdischen land aus allenthalben in die heydenschafft durch das römische Reich biß an die Donau, das ist, in den landen, die den Römern oder damahls ihren Kaysern unterworffen waren, zu predigen.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Related terms

• Donaudelta
• Donauebene
• Donaufluss
• Donauhafen
• Donaulachs
• Donaumündung
• Donauquelle
• Donauschiff
• Donaustadt
• Donauufer
• Donauwasser
• Donauwelle

 

Descendants

• → Dutch: Donau
• → Low German: Donau
• → Icelandic: Dóná
• → Norwegian Nynorsk: Donau
• → Norwegian Bokmål: Donau
• → Swedish: Donau
• → Danish: Donau

Further reading

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

Norwegian Bokmål

Proper noun

Donau

1. the River Danube

Norwegian Nynorsk

Proper noun

Donau

1. the River Danube

Swedish

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ʉː

Proper noun

Donau c

1. (geography) The river Danube, which flows to the Black Sea