Trümmer

German

Etymology

Plural of Trumm (Middle High German drum, Old High German trum, Proto-Germanic *þrum-), which has acquired a separate meaning. The Middle High German plural was drum or drumer, Early Modern High German trumer, trumeren, trummer, trimmer, trümmern. The new singular Trümmer (either feminine, masculine or neuter) arises in the 18th century (Klopstock). The singular remained in common use until the end of the 19th century. In the 20th century, use as plurale tantum became prevalent, and use as a singular is now dated.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [ˈtʁʏmɐ]
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Trümmer n pl (plural only) or
Trümmer (archaic) m or (archaic) f (strong or mixed, genitive Trümmers or Trümmer, plural Trümmer or Trümmern)

  1. ruins, debris, wreckage, remains, fragments
    • 1780, Klopstock, Messias 172:
      […] zu stehn auf der flammenden Trümmer [fem. sg.] seines Tempels […]
      […] to stand on the flaming ruins of their [the people's] temple […]
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 1796, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, chapter 5, in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre [Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship]‎, volume 4:
      […] brachten nur wenige Trümmer ihrer Besitztümer davon.
      [the refugees] only saved a few fragments of their possessions
    • 1864, Eichendorff, Sämtliche Werke 3, 295:
      Die Trümmer des alten Schlosses Dürande sehen über die Wipfel in die Einsamkeit hinein
      the ruins of old Dürande castle look out over the tree-tops into solitude
    • 1905, Mörike, Gesammelte Schriften 3, 41:
      Keine Stunde hielt es an, bis die Mühle borst in Trümmer.
      before the end of an hour, the mill collapsed in ruins

Declension
Declension of Trümmer [pl-only, neuter]
plural
def. noun
nominative die Trümmer
genitive der Trümmer
dative den Trümmern
accusative die Trümmer
Declension of Trümmer [masculine (archaic) // feminine (archaic), strong // mixed]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein, eine der, die Trümmer die Trümmer, Trümmern
genitive eines, einer des, der Trümmers, Trümmer der Trümmer, Trümmern
dative einem, einer dem, der Trümmer den Trümmern
accusative einen, eine den, die Trümmer die Trümmer, Trümmern

Derived terms

Noun

Trümmer

  1. nominative/accusative/genitive plural of Trumm

Further reading
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