Hammel

See also: hammel

German

Etymology

From Middle High German hamel, from Old High German hamal (“wether”, also an adjective “castrated”), from Proto-Germanic *hamalaz (“mutilated”). Cognate with Dutch hamel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhaməl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Hammel m (strong, genitive Hammels, plural Hammel or Hämmel)

1. wether (castrated ram)
2. Short for Hammelfleisch: the meat of a wether used for food; mutton
3. jackass (person)

Usage notes

• The plural is usually unchanged. The form Hämmel was fairly common in the 19th century, but is now rare.

Declension

Declension of Hammel [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Hammel	die	Hammel, Hämmel
genitive	eines	des	Hammels	der	Hammel, Hämmel
dative	einem	dem	Hammel	den	Hammeln, Hämmeln
accusative	einen	den	Hammel	die	Hammel, Hämmel

Synonyms

• (wether): kastrierter / verschnittener Schafbock (Schafsbock); Schöps (Austria; eastern Germany)
• (Hammelfleisch): Schöpsernes (Austrian); Schöpsenfleisch (Austria; eastern Germany)

Derived terms

• Blödhammel
• Dreckhammel
• Hammelbein
• Hammelbraten
• Hammelbrust
• Hammeleintopf
• Hammelfett
• Hammelfettjade
• Hammelfleisch
• Hammelgedärm
• Hammelgeld
• Hammelherde
• Hammelkeule
• Hammelkotelett
• Hammelragout
• Hammelrippchen
• Hammelrücken
• Hammelschenkel
• Hammelschlegel
• Hammelschulter
• Hammelsprung
• Hammelsteak
• Hammeltalg
• Leithammel
• Leithammelstaat
• Neidhammel
• Streithammel

 

Related terms

• Hämling

Further reading

• “Hammel” in Duden online
• “Hammel” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Luxembourgish

Etymology

Probably inherited from Old High German hamal, though the modern Luxembourgish form is based on German Hammel; the native equivalent would be *Hummel. The word was rare because the area has very little tradition in sheep farming.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑməl/

Noun

Hammel m (plural Hämmel)

1. wether, castrated ram

Derived terms

• Hämmelfleesch

Pennsylvania German

Etymology

Compare German Hammel, Dutch hamel.

Noun

Hammel m (plural Hammel)

1. wether, castrated ram

Slovak

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɦamel]

Proper noun

Hammel m anim (feminine Hammelová)

1. a male surname

Further reading

• “Hammel”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024