gegen
See also: gegen-
German edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Middle High German gegen, from Old High German gagan, from Proto-West Germanic *gagin, from Proto-Germanic *gagin. Cognate with Dutch tegen, English against, Icelandic gegn.
Pronunciation edit
Preposition edit
gegen (+ accusative)
- against
- Synonym: wider
- Die Erklärung der Vereinten Nationen über die Beseitigung der Gewalt gegen Frauen.
- The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.
- toward (i.e. directed to someone/something)
- toward (i.e. in the direction of)
- approximately, around
- in exchange for
- facing
- compare to
Usage notes edit
- Like its Middle High German predecessor, gegen was formerly also used with the dative, especially by Upper German writers. Compare entgegen, which still takes dative.
Further reading edit
- “gegen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Middle High German edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
Inherited from Old High German gagan, gagen, gegin.
Preposition edit
gegen (+ dative, sometimes + accusative)