Hinkelstein

German

Etymology

Originally a Rhine Franconian dialect word denoting a number of menhirs in Hesse. Generalised and standardised in the 19th century. The form is analysable as Hinkel (“chicken”) +‎ Stein (“stone”). Likely from of an underlying Hünenstein, from Middle High German hiune (“giant”, literally “Hun”); compare modern German Hüne. This would first have been corrupted to Hühnerstein, and then further to the contemporary form because the word Huhn (“chicken”) was replaced in these dialects with Hinkel (an original diminutive).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈhɪŋkəlˌʃtaɪ̯n/
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ̯n

Noun

Hinkelstein m (strong, genitive Hinkelsteins or Hinkelsteines, plural Hinkelsteine)

  1. menhir
    Synonym: Menhir

Declension
Declension of Hinkelstein [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Hinkelstein die Hinkelsteine
genitive eines des Hinkelsteins, Hinkelsteines der Hinkelsteine
dative einem dem Hinkelstein, Hinkelsteine1 den Hinkelsteinen
accusative einen den Hinkelstein die Hinkelsteine

1Now rare, see notes.

Further reading
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