Bundesdorf
German
Etymology
From Bund (“federation”) + -es- + Dorf (“village”).
Pronunciation
Noun
Bundesdorf n (genitive Bundesdorfs or Bundesdorfes, no plural)
- (dated, humorous, derogatory) the city of Bonn, former capital of (West) Germany, labelled the “federal village” due to its provincial character and, originally, quite small size
Usage notes
- By 1960 the city had a population of under 140,000. It later grew to its current 300,000+, but never lost its provincial character, and hence the nickname, until being replaced as capital by Berlin in 1990/99.