Mensch

See also: mensch, mènsch, and Mënsch

Bavarian

Etymology

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

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

  1. human, human being, man

Noun

Mensch n (plural Menscher, diminutive Menscherl)

  1. female person, girl, woman

Derived terms
  • Menscherer

German

Etymology

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

Noun

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

  1. human, human being, man

Usage notes
  • 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
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

Hyponyms
  • Affenmensch (“apeman”)
  • Ausnahmemensch (“exceptional person”) (philosophical, literary)
  • Durchschnittsmensch (“average person/man/human being”)
  • Edelmensch (“noble person”) (term coined by Karl May)
  • Einzelmensch (“individual, individual person”) (philosophy, sociology, theology)
  • Elefantenmensch (“Elephant Man”) (historical nickname)
  • Erfolgsmensch (“highflyer, successful person, man of success”) (sociology)
  • Frühmensch (“early man, early human, primitive man”) (anthropology)
  • Genussmensch (“hedonist, sybarite, epicure, epicurean, pleasure-seeker”)
  • Gottmensch (“God-man, Godman”) (Christian theology)
  • Gutmensch
  • Herrenmensch (“master human; member of the Master Race”)
  • Höhlenmensch
  • Jetztmensch (“present-day human/man/person”) (anthropology)
  • Kopfmensch (“head person, cerebral person”) (psychology)
  • Lebensmensch
  • Nachtmensch
  • Schlangenmensch (“contortionist”)
  • Schneemensch (“Abominable Snowman, Yeti”) (cryptozoology)

Derived terms

Noun

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

  1. (now often derogatory) woman

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

Declension
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
  • Fraumensch n, Frauenmensch n, Frauensmensch
  • Weibsmensch n

Interjection

Mensch

  1. man! rah!

Synonyms

Further reading

Hunsrik

Etymology

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

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /mɛnʃ/

Noun

Mensch m (plural Mensche)

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

Derived terms

Further reading

Plautdietsch

Etymology

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

Noun

Mensch m (plural Menschen)

  1. human, human being, person
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