Fähnlein

German

Etymology

Fahne +‎ -lein. Middle High German as venelîn, venel, venlîn, fänlîn, venlein, fendlî, vänl, vänel, venel, fendel. The secondary (metonymic) meaning dates to the first half of the 16th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɛːnlaɪ̯n/ (standard; used naturally in western Germany and Switzerland)
• IPA^(key): /ˈfeːnlaɪ̯n/ (overall more common; particularly northern and eastern regions)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Fähn‧lein

Noun

Fähnlein n (genitive Fähnleins, plural Fähnlein)

1. diminutive of Fahne
   1. a small flag or banner
   2. a military unit of company or batallion size

Synonyms

• Fähnchen

References

• “Fähnlein” in Duden online
• “Fähnlein” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.