出典:Wiktionary
出典:『Wiktionary』 (2026/05/09 22:05 UTC 版)
From Latin Germānus, Germānī (“the peoples of Germānia”), as distinct from Gauls (in the writings of Caesar and Tacitus), and of uncertain ultimate origin (possibly Celtic/Gaulish).
Not related to german (“closely related”) or germane (from the Latin adjective germānus, through Old French).
Attested since at least 1520. Replaced the older terms Almain and Dutch (from Proto-Germanic *þiudiskaz) 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 Proto-Slavic *němьcь; see those entries for more.
The surname is generally from the noun, though sometimes confused with Herman, Hermann under Russian influence. As a German surname, Americanized from Germann. Compare Germán, Germain, Jerman.
German (countable and uncountable, plural Germans)
German
German (comparative more German, superlative most German or Germanest)
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a German
(the) German (language)
the Germans
German-Americans―hyphenated Americans.
German statesman
a German machine gun
German hero
the German state
a Roman
a Belgian
a Dane
a person of German nationality
a nationality called German
German composer
a Greek
the Greeks
the German Republic