Kammerjäger

German

Etymology

Compound of Kammer (“chamber”) +‎ Jäger (“hunter”). The word originally meant “princely huntsman”, but was humorously reinterpreted as “exterminator” (someone who “hunts” in a private “chamber”). This reinterpretation began in (deprecated template usage) [etyl] German Low German and was later standardized with the humorous overtone being lost.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkamɐˌjɛːɡɐ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Kammerjäger m (genitive Kammerjägers, plural Kammerjäger, feminine Kammerjägerin)

1. exterminator; someone practicing pest control in buildings (male or of unspecified sex)
2. (obsolete) personal huntsman of a prince

Hypernyms

• Schädlingsbekämpfer, Schädlingsbekämpferin

Further reading

• “Kammerjäger” in Duden online