Hauptmann
German edit
Etymology edit
From Middle High German houbetman (“leader; captain, head of a group”), from Old High German houbitman, from Proto-West Germanic *haubidamann. Cognate with Low German Hööftmann, Dutch hoofdman, and Old English hēafodmann. Equivalent to haupt- (“chief, head”) + Mann (“man”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
Hauptmann m (strong, genitive Hauptmannes or Hauptmanns, plural Hauptleute or Hauptmänner, feminine Hauptfrau or Hauptmännin)
Usage notes edit
The normal plural is Hauptleute, while the plural Hauptmänner is rarely used, at least in contemporary military terminology.
Declension edit
Declension of Hauptmann [masculine, strong]
singular | plural | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
indef. | def. | noun | def. | noun | |
nominative | ein | der | Hauptmann | die | Hauptleute, Hauptmänner |
genitive | eines | des | Hauptmannes, Hauptmanns | der | Hauptleute, Hauptmänner |
dative | einem | dem | Hauptmann, Hauptmanne1 | den | Hauptleuten, Hauptmännern |
accusative | einen | den | Hauptmann | die | Hauptleute, Hauptmänner |
1Now rare, see notes.
Derived terms edit
Descendants edit
- → Dutch: hopman
- → Lower Sorbian: hawptman
- → Pennsylvania German: Hauptman, Haaptman
- → Polish: hetman
Further reading edit
- “Hauptmann” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “Hauptmann” in Duden online
- “Proper noun” in Duden online