gesundheit

See also: Gesundheit

English

Alternative forms

• Gesundheit

Etymology

From German Gesundheit (literally “health”), from gesund (“healthy”). The adjective is cognate with English sound, from Old English ġesund (“sound, safe, healthy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡəˈzʊnt.haɪt/, /ɡəˈzʊn.taɪt/
• (Canada, many US accents) IPA^(key): /ɡəˈzʊnt.hʌɪt/, /ɡəˈzʊn.tʌɪt/

Interjection

gesundheit

1. (Canada, US) Said to someone who has just sneezed.
   • 1897 July 24, “SNEEZES INTERRUPTED COURT”, in The Albany Law Journal‎^[1], volume 56, number 4, page 67:

     Everybody Was at It, and There Was No One to Say Gesundheit

   • 2000, Abby Frucht, Polly's Ghost: A Novel‎^[2] (Fiction), Scribner, →ISBN, page 55:

     I used to play a game with David and Douggie, Dennis and Drew — stop their sneezes midsniff just by placing my pinkie finger against their nostrils and saying gesundheit before it was time.

2. (humorous) Said in response to a word that sounds onomatopoeically similar to a sneeze.
   • 2010, Tangled (Disney movie)

     Flynn: "All right, Blondie."

     Rapunzel: "Rapunzel!"

     Flynn: "Gesundheit."

Synonyms

• bless you

Translations

said to someone who has just sneezed — see bless you

Dutch

Etymology

From German Gesundheit (literally “health”).

Interjection

gesundheit

1. (Netherlands) Said to someone who has just sneezed, bless you
   • 2000, Harry Mulisch, Gerrit Komrij, Adriaan van Dis, Maarten 't Hart, Remco Campert, Marga Minco, Hugo Claus, De Schrijver: een literaire estafette, De Bezige Bij, →ISBN, page 142:

     Ik bleef haar aanstaren en moest niezen. Zij bleef lachen en zei: 'Gesundheit.'

     I kept staring at her and had to sneeze. She kept laughing and said: 'Bless you.'

   • 2015, Anne Tyler, De blauwe draad, Prometheus, →ISBN, page 96:

     'Ja, dat mag. En neem Heidi even mee, alsjeblieft. Ze zit weer te niezen.' Heidi was inderdaad aan het niezen – een hele serie zachte maar spetterende niesjes. 'Gesundheit,' zei Merrick.

     'Yes, that's alright. And take Heidi, please. She's sneezing again.' Heidi was sneezing indeed – a series of soft but splattering sneezes. 'Bless you,' said Merrick.

   • 2016, Hans Bogaert, Echo, De Bezige Bij, →ISBN, page 60:

     'Gesundheit,' zei hij toen ik moest niezen.

     'Bless you,' he said as I sneezed.

   • 2016, Marjolijn Uitzinger, De partijgenoot, Singel Uitgeverijen, →ISBN, page 147:

     Ik nam een te grote slok water en moest niezen vanwege de prik. 'Gesundheit. Maar er is nog een andere auto gevonden, in Lautenthal zelf.'

     I took too big of a gulp of water en had to sneeze because it was fizzy water. 'Bless you. But another has been found, in Lautenthal.'

Synonyms

• gezondheid