Fahne

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German

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Die deutsche Fahne vor dem Reichstag in Berlin.
The German flag in front of the Reichstag in Berlin.

Etymology

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From Middle High German van(e) m, from Old High German fano, from Proto-West Germanic *fanō, from Proto-Germanic *fanô (cloth, flag), from Proto-Indo-European *pān- (fabric).

The shift to the feminine gender began in cognate Middle Low German vāne and, through Central German, established itself in the written language by the end of the 17th century.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈfaːnə/
  • Audio (Berlin):(file)
  • Audio (Austria):(file)
  • Hyphenation: Fah‧ne
  • Homophone: Farne (some speakers)

Noun

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Fahne f (genitive Fahne, plural Fahnen, diminutive Fähnchen n or Fähnlein n)

  1. flag, banner (any cloth or fabric used as a symbol)
    Synonyms: Flagge, Banner, Standarte
  2. (figurative) idea, ideal
    Synonyms: Idee, Prinzip, Motto
  3. (colloquial) the noticeable smell of alcohol on one's breath
    Synonyms: Alkoholfahne, Alkoholgeruch
  4. (printing) galley proof
    Synonym: Druckfahne
  5. (ornithology) vane (flattened, web-like part of a feather)
    Synonyms: Federfahne, Vexillum

Usage notes

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  • Flags of nations or ships are more commonly called Flagge, but Fahne (being the more general term) is also possible.

Declension

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Silesian: fana

Further reading

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