Wiktionary

Mensch

See also: mensch, mènsch, and Mënsch

Bavarian

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz (“human”), from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“human, man”). Cognates include German Mensch, Yiddish מענטש (mentsh), Dutch mens, English mannish, Old Norse mennskr, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (mannisks).

Noun

edit

Mensch m (accusative Menschen or Mensch'n, plural Menschen or Mensch'n or Menschn)

  1. human, human being, man

Noun

edit

Mensch n (plural Menscher, diminutive Menscherl)

  1. female person, girl, woman

Derived terms

edit
edit

German

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz (“human”), from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“human, man”). Compare Yiddish מענטש (mentsh), Dutch mens, Swedish människa, all with the primary sense of “person” or “human being”.

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /mɛnʃ/, [mɛnʃ], [mɛnt͡ʃ]
  • Audio:(file)
  • Homophone: mensch

Noun

edit
  A user suggests that this German entry be cleaned up, giving the reason: “"feminine Mensch" - it's Mensch n refering to a female”.
Please see the discussion on Requests for cleanup(+) or the talk page for more information and remove this template after the problem has been dealt with.

Mensch m (weak, genitive Menschen, plural Menschen, diminutive Menschchen n or Menschlein n, feminine Mensch or Menschin)

  1. human, human being, man

Usage notes

edit
  • Mensch is a weak noun in the standard language but is part of a group of nouns with a tendency to be strong colloquially, so one might hear dem Mensch instead of dem Menschen.
  • In older literature, the genitive des Menschens occurs.
  • The feminine die Menschin is very rare in actual use; most uses are jocular.

Declension

edit
Declension of Mensch [masculine, weak]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Mensch die Menschen
genitive eines des Menschen der Menschen
dative einem dem Menschen den Menschen
accusative einen den Menschen die Menschen

Hyponyms

edit

Hyponyms

edit

Derived terms

edit

Noun

edit

Mensch n (strong, genitive Mensches or Menschs, plural Menscher)

  1. (now often derogatory) woman

Usage notes

edit
  • In older language a neutral term, then applied upon servants and dismissively as “baggage, broad”.

Declension

edit
Declension of Mensch [neuter, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein das Mensch die Menscher
genitive eines des Mensches, Menschs der Menscher
dative einem dem Mensch, Mensche1 den Menschern
accusative ein das Mensch die Menscher

1Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

edit

Interjection

edit

Mensch

  1. man! rah!

Synonyms

edit

Further reading

edit

Hunsrik

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from man.

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

Mensch m (plural Mensche)

  1. human, human being, person
    Keen Mensch konnd do leve.
    No human being could live here.

Derived terms

edit

Further reading

edit

Plautdietsch

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle Low German mensche, minsche, from Old Saxon mennisk, mennisko, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz.

Noun

edit

Mensch m (plural Menschen)

  1. human, human being, person
Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Mensch&oldid=79828088"