Dirne

See also: dirne

German

Etymology

From Middle High German dierne (“girl; servant”), from Old High German diorna, thiorna (“girl; servant”), from Proto-Germanic *þewernǭ, *þewernō (“maid, servant girl”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *tekw- (“to run, flow”). The sense “prostitute” developed from the use for a “girl from the lower classes”. It is first attested in the 15th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɪrnə/, [ˈdɪʁnə], [ˈdɪɐ̯nə], [ˈdɪrnə]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Dirne f (genitive Dirne, plural Dirnen)

1. (derogatory, dated, also biblical) whore (prostitute or sexually unreserved woman)

   Synonyms: Buhldirne, Hure, Lustdirne, Nutte

   Hyponyms: Edeldirne, Straßendirne

2. (archaic or dialectal) girl; lass

Usage notes

• The older sense “girl” is now chiefly restricted to dialectal cognate forms. Northern German Deern and Bavarian Dirndl are widely understood, though not commonly used outside of their traditional areas.

Related terms

• Deern
• Dirndl

Further reading

• “Dirne” in Duden online
• “Dirne” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache