Lappen

See also: lappen and läppen

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlapən/
• (standard) IPA^(key): [ˈläpən], [ˈläpm̩]
• (northern Germany) IPA^(key): [ˈla̝(ʔ)m̩]
• (Swiss) IPA^(key): [ˈlɑp.pən]

Etymology 1

From Middle High German lappe, from Old High German lappo, from Proto-West Germanic *lappā (“cloth, rag, lobe”) of uncertain origin, possibly Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang loosely”).

The form is remarkable because of the unshifted geminate -pp- (instead of expected Old High German *lapfo). Based on the supposedly invariable nature of the consonant shift, lappo would have to be an originally Central and Low German form (compare Old Saxon lappo). This is, however, quite unlikely since the Old High German word is attested as early as the 9th century, and no variants with -pf- exist. The form remains thus unexplained.

Noun

Lappen m (strong, genitive Lappens, plural Lappen, diminutive Läppchen n or Läpplein n)

1. cloth, rag
2. (anatomy) lobe
3. (colloquial) driving licence
4. (youth slang) loser; idiot

Declension

Declension of Lappen [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Lappen	die	Lappen
genitive	eines	des	Lappens	der	Lappen
dative	einem	dem	Lappen	den	Lappen
accusative	einen	den	Lappen	die	Lappen

Hyponyms

• Abwaschlappen
• Fensterlappen
• Frontallappen
• Fußlappen
• Putzlappen
• Spüllappen
• Staublappen
• Tafellappen
• Topflappen
• Waschlappen
• Wischlappen

 

Derived terms

• durch die Lappen gehen
• Lappengröße
• Lappenstoff
• Lappenzaun
• Lappenzelt
• Lappjagd

 

Etymology 2

Noun

Lappen

1. plural of Lappe

Further reading

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