Kopf

German

Picture dictionary

Kopf

Schädel

Gehirn

Auge

Nase

Mund

Kinn

Kiefer

Ohr

Schläfe

Hals

Click on labels in the image

Körper

Körper

Alternative forms

• Kopp (colloquial; northern and central Germany)

Etymology

From Middle High German kopf (“drinking vessel”), from Old High German kopf, chopf, kupf (“mug, bowl, head”), of uncertain origin. Possibly from Late Latin cuppa, probably a form of Latin cūpa (“tub”) from Proto-Indo-European *kewp- (“a hollow”); related to English cup. Compare English noggin, and mug. French tête. Alternatively it is inherited from Proto-Germanic *kuppaz (“round object, bowl, crown of the head”), whilst influenced by the aforesaid Latin word, and if so then related to obsolete English cop (“the crown (of the head); the head”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔpf/, [kɔp͡f], [kɔp͡ɸ]

• audio (Standard German):

  (file)

Noun

Kopf m (genitive Kopfes or Kopfs, plural Köpfe)

1. (anatomy) head

   Er fiel die Treppe hinunter, als sie ihm ein Buch an den Kopf warf.

   He fell down the stairs when she threw a book at his head.

2. crown, top
3. heading, title
4. person; individual; fellow (referring to one's intellect or mentality)

   Er ist ein heller Kopf.

   He's a bright fellow.

   (literally, “He is a bright head.”)

5. (linguistics) head
7. (numismatics) heads (side of a coin)

Synonyms

• (head): Haupt

Hyponyms

• Briefkopf
• Brückenkopf
• Doppelkopf
• Dummkopf
• Hinterkopf
• Hitzkopf
• Notenkopf
• Quatschkopf
• Schwachkopf

 

Derived terms

• -köpfig
• verkopft

Related terms

• Kopfhörer
• Kopfkino
• Stahlkopfforelle
• Kopf-an-Kopf-Rennen

Further reading

• “Kopf” in Duden online