Hirn

See also: hirn

Bavarian

Etymology

From Middle High German hirne, hërne, from Old High German hirni (“brain”), from Proto-West Germanic *hirʀnī, from Proto-Germanic *hirzniją (“brain”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂s- (“head”); see there for the cognates.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhiɐn/

Noun

Hirn n (plural Hirn, diminutive Hirnderl)

1. (anatomy, countable) brain (organ)
2. (uncountable) brain (meat)
3. (anatomy) forehead
4. brains, sense, wit

German

Etymology

From Middle High German hirne, hërne, from Old High German hirni (“brain”), from Proto-West Germanic *hirʀnī, from Proto-Germanic *hirzniją (“brain”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂s- (“head”); see there for the cognates.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɪʁn/, [hɪʁn], [hɪɐ̯n]
• Rhymes: -ɪʁn

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Hirn n (strong, genitive Hirnes or Hirns, plural Hirne)

1. (countable) brain (organ)

   Synonym: Gehirn

   Das Hirn ist die Schaltzentrale im menschlichen Körper.

   The brain is the control centre of the human body.

2. (uncountable) brain (meat)

   Synonym: (regional) Bregen

   In Europa wird kaum noch Hirn gegessen.

   Not much brain meat is eaten anymore in Europe.

Declension

Declension of Hirn [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Hirn	die	Hirne
genitive	eines	des	Hirnes, Hirns	der	Hirne
dative	einem	dem	Hirn, Hirne1	den	Hirnen
accusative	ein	das	Hirn	die	Hirne

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• Hirnanhangsdrüse
• Hirngespinst
• Hirni
• Hirnkoralle
• hirnlos
• Hirnschlag
• hirntot
• Mittelhirn
• Rinderhirn

 

Further reading

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