German

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Etymology

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From blau +‎ Auge +‎ -ig.

The metaphorical use (19th c.) is usually linked to the typically blue-eyed and fair-haired characters in naive, romanticist art. Compare blond (stupid). Perhaps the fact that newborns often have blue eyes may also be considered.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈblaʊ̯ˌʔɔʏ̯ɡɪç/ (standard)
  • IPA(key): /-ˌʔɔʏ̯ɡɪk/ (common form in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: blau‧äu‧gig

Adjective

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blauäugig (strong nominative masculine singular blauäugiger, comparative blauäugiger, superlative am blauäugigsten)

  1. blue-eyed
  2. (figuratively) innocent; naive, starry-eyed
    Es ist blauäugig, allen Versprechen der Politiker zu glauben.
    It's naive to believe all the politicians' promises.

Usage notes

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  • In attributive use the word is always to be understood as "blue-eyed" unless the context implies otherwise. In predicative use the figurative sense is more common because one would usually describe eye colour by saying Er hat blaue Augen (He has blue eyes).

Declension

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Further reading

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