hellhörig

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German

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Etymology

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From hell (clear, bright) +‎ hören (to hear) +‎ -ig.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [ˈhɛlhøːʁɪç] (standard)
  • Audio:(file)
  • IPA(key): [ˈhɛlhøːʁɪk] (common form in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: hell‧hö‧rig

Adjective

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hellhörig (strong nominative masculine singular hellhöriger, comparative hellhöriger, superlative am hellhörigsten)

  1. (of walls, apartments, etc.) poorly soundproofed, having thin walls
    • 1934, Walther Kabel (as Max Schraut), Der Bluffer, Verlag moderner Lektüre, page 54:
      Die Wohnungen dürften ein wenig hellhörig sein.
      The walls of the apartments are probably a bit thin.
  2. (mainly in certain idioms, see derived terms) alert, vigilant
    jemanden hellhörig machento make someone alert (
    Audio:(file)
    )
    hellhörig werdento become alert
    • 2019 January 28, Ingo Way, “Der Klarseher”, in Jüdische Allgemeine[1], →ISSN:
      Und bereits im Jahr 1923 warnte Lichtenstaedter vor der Möglichkeit einer physischen Vernichtung der europäischen Juden. Seine regelmäßige Lektüre der völkischen Presse hatte ihn diesbezüglich hellhörig gemacht.
      And as early as 1923, Lichtenstaedter warned of the possibility of the physical extermination of European Jews. His regular reading of the völkisch press had made him vigilant in this regard.
  3. (dated) having a keen ear, clairaudient

Declension

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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