Zeug

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See also: zeug

German

Alternative forms

  • Zeugs (chiefly informal and pejorative)

Etymology

From Middle High German ziuc (“stuff, gear”), from Old High German giziug, from Proto-Germanic *tiugiją (“stuff, gear, device”). Compare Dutch tuig (“tool, gear”), Old Norse tygi (“gear”). More at toy.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /t͡sɔʏ̯k/ Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "standard" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E.
  • IPA(key): /t͡sɔʏ̯ç/ Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "in northern and central Germany; chiefly colloquial" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E.
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

Zeug n (genitive Zeuges or Zeugs, plural Zeuge)

  1. stuff, gear, equipment
  2. material
  3. fabric, clothing, clothes

Usage notes

  • The plural Zeuge is quite rare (except in compounds such as Fahrzeug). Generally, Zeug is treated as uncountable. An alternate obsolete plural is Zeuger.
  • Until the 19th century, Zeug was often treated as masculine by southern writers, except in the sense “fabric”, where the masculine was very rare. This usage is now obsolete and Zeug is exclusively neuter in contemporary German.

Declension

Template:de-decl-noun-n

See also

Further reading

  • “Zeug” in Duden online
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