Sintflut

German

Alternative forms

• Sündflut (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle High German sinvluot, sintvluot, from Old High German sinfluot, sintfluot, from sin- (“great, eternal”, prefix) + fluot (“flood”), whence modern German Flut. The variant Sündflut is due to association with Sünde (“sin”), as also in cognate Dutch zondvloed. The i-form was almost fully obsolete for 200 years, until it was revived in the early 19th century after the scientific study of Middle High German. During the 20th century, it re-established itself in general use.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈzɪn(t)ˌfluːt/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Sintflut f (genitive Sintflut, plural Sintfluten)

1. (religion) Deluge
2. (figurative) deluge (heavy rain)
3. (figurative) deluge (a great or overwhelming flood of anything, abstract or material)

   eine Sintflut von Anfragen ― a deluge of requests

Derived terms

• nach mir die Sintflut
• sintflutartig
• vorsintflutlich

Further reading

• “Sintflut” in Duden online