Schädel

German

Etymology

From Middle High German schedel (“skull”). Further origin uncertain. Borrowing from Middle Low German schêdel (“top of the head, head, skull”), cognate with German Scheitel (“top of the head, parting of the hair”), suggests itself, but is not embraced in most of the literature.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃɛːdəl/, [ˈʃɛː.dəl], [ˈʃɛː.dl̩] (used naturally in western Germany and Switzerland, generally used by professional speakers)
• IPA^(key): /ˈʃeːdəl/ (overall more common; chiefly northern and eastern regions)

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Schädel m (strong, genitive Schädels, plural Schädel)

1. skull
2. (also figurative) head
   • 1975, “Wir sind im Licht”, performed by Ton Steine Scherben:

     Ich seh' tausend Augen, und sie sind geschlossen / Klopf an tausend Türen und keine is' offen / Ich sauf' mich voll bis mir der Schädel dröhnt

     I see a thousand eyes, and they're closed / Knock on a thousand doors and none are open / I drink and drink till my head is pounding

3. (colloquial) headache, particularly one due to excessive drinking

   Synonym: Brummschädel

4. (slang, sex) head
   • 2004, “Ok!”, Melbeatz (music), performed by Samy Deluxe and Kool Savas:

     Ich bin nicht back, war nie fort, dein Mädel gibt mir Schädel

     I'm not back, I was never away, your girlfriend is giving me head

   • 2018, “Bellagio Boys”, in Monument, performed by Kollegah:

     Ich muss große Träume leben, krieg' von Rotlichtbräuten Schädel

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Declension of Schädel [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Schädel	die	Schädel
genitive	eines	des	Schädels	der	Schädel
dative	einem	dem	Schädel	den	Schädeln
accusative	einen	den	Schädel	die	Schädel

Derived terms

• Schädel-Hirn-Trauma
• Schädeltrauma
• Schädelvermessung

Further reading

• “Schädel” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Schädel” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Schädel” in Duden online
• Schädel on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de

Plautdietsch

Noun

Schädel m (plural Schädels)

1. skull