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German

A member of the Germanic ethnic group which is the most populous ethnic group in Germany; a person of German descent.

ˈd͡ʒɜː.mənCurrent169 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
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10 citations · last seen May 2026

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UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

A member of the Germanic ethnic group which is the most populous ethnic group in Germany; a person of German descent.

Rome was sacked by Germans and the Western Roman Empire collapsed.
Heard in the wild
  • “Siemens CEO Roland Busch issued a warning concerning the potential political fallout should the AfD (Alternative for Germany) participate in the government. Whe... https://news.osna.fm/?p=44500 | #news #ceo #demands #economic #german”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “I’ve just been told that there are six versions of German cursive!”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Lee dubbed his own part for the German version.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Quite possible. I am compiling a short comparative Germanic dataset for something, focused on Frisian, and thought it’d be good to have Jutlandic rather than Std. Danish, even if (or better if?) from the 1800s! But I was surprised there’s not anything in German, only in Danish!”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “The ultimate irony: the only historical records from this era will be German emails and faxes https://x.com/peer_rich/status/2040747159595741681”

    — Bluesky· Apr 2026
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(countable) A native or inhabitant of Germany; a person of German citizenship or nationality.

The holiday evolved over centuries as it was observed by different groups, from the Celts to Germans to the Pennsylvania Dutch and eventually, by those in other parts of the US.
Origin: From , Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly /). Not related to german or germane (from the Latin adjective germānus, through Old French). Attested since at least 1520. Replaced the older terms Almain and Dutch (from ) in English. Besides cognates of German, Almain, and Dutch, two other categories of words for the Germans in other languages are cognates of Saxon and descendants of ; see those entries for more. The surname is generally from the noun, though sometimes confused with Herman. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK

(historical) A member of a Germanic tribe.

For parents

German means: A member of a Germanic tribe.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

German means: A member of a Germanic tribe.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.

Heard in the wild
  • “Ernst Kirchner: Germany's Picasso & A collection of 362 works (HD) (🎬 Click the Pic to Watch the Videos) 👉 One of the Greats! Birthday Remembrances. Today May 6, 1880 – #ErnstLudwigKirchner, German-Swiss painter (d. 1938) was born. #Kirchner”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “‘A stress test’: US-Germany rift widens as Iran-war drags on | US-Israel war on Iran News https://www.europesays.com/germany/10676/ Berlin, Germany – A diplomatic rift between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the…”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “The incredible shrinking German chancellor – POLITICO www.politico.eu/article/the-...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “What do you call the type of shift system behind the steering wheel? Some of you guys might know that in German cars with automatic transmission the stick is in the center console. I was just wondering, what do you call the type of shift system that is placed usually behind the steering wheel in the US?”

    — r/AskAnAmerican· Apr 2026
  • “The Greek and German words for ressurection have the same construction. Is this a coincidence? German: auferstehen -> up + stand Greek: ανάσταση -> up + stand I couldn't find much online, but are these constructed in the same way. Like a calque?”

    — r/etymology· Apr 2026
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