Untermensch

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English

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 Untermensch on Wikipedia

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Unadapted borrowing from German Untermensch.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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Untermensch (plural Untermenschen)

  1. (derogatory, especially Nazism) An inferior person; a subhuman, especially in Nazi racial hierarchy.
    Antonym: Übermensch
    • 2009, John Sadler, Glencoe, Amberley, published 2009, page 19:
      His orders are clear and concise – the Scots are viewed as untermenschen and are to be treated accordingly.

German

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Etymology

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18th century, from unter- (under, sub) +‎ Mensch (human being).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈʊntəʁˌmɛnʃ/, [ˈʔʊn.tɐˌmɛnʃ], [-ˌmɛnt͡ʃ]
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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Untermensch m (weak, genitive Untermenschen, plural Untermenschen)

  1. (derogatory, now proscribed, dated) a subhuman, a morally or culturally inferior person
    Synonyms: (morally) Unmensch, Bestie, (culturally) Barbar, Primitivling, Neandertaler
  2. (post-Nietzschean philosophy) one who is not an Übermensch
  3. (Nazism) a racially or otherwise genetically inferior person (who accordingly deserves to be persecuted, enslaved, or exterminated)
    Antonym: Herrenmensch
    Auch Berufsverbrecher und Alkoholiker wurden zu den Untermenschen gezählt, da man diese Erscheinungen genetisch erklärte.
    Career criminals and alcoholics were also counted among the untermenschen, because these phenomena were explained genetically.

Declension

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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