winken

See also: Winken

German

Etymology

From Middle High German winken, from Old High German winken, from Proto-Germanic *winkijaną (“to move side to side, sway”), alternative form of *winkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *weng- (“to bow, bend, arch, curve”). Compare wanken.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɪŋkŋ̩/, /ˈvɪŋkən/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

1. to wave
2. to beckon

Usage notes

• The originally weak verb started to develop alternative strong forms in Middle High German. These were long considered dialectal or colloquial, but the past participle gewunken has become standard and is increasingly replacing the now rarer gewinkt.

Derived terms

• abwinken
• durchwinken
• zuwinken

Related terms

• Winker
• Winkerkrabbe
• Wink

Further reading

• “winken” in Duden online

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Low German

Etymology

From Middle Low German winken, from Old Saxon winkōn, from Proto-Germanic *winkōną. See also wenken and wanken from the same root. Cognate with German winken, English wink, Dutch wenken.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪŋkən/, /ˈvɪŋkən/

Verb

winken (past singular wunk, past participle wunken, auxiliary verb hebben)

1. to wave
2. to beckon

Conjugation

Conjugation of winken (class 3 strong verb)

infinitive	winken
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	wink	wunk
2nd person singular	winks(t)	wunks(t)
3rd person singular	wink(t)	wunk
plural	winkt, winken	wunken
imperative	present	—
singular	wink
plural	winkt
participle	present	past
	winken	(e)wunken, gewunken
Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Conjugation of winken (weak verb)

infinitive	winken
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	wink	wink
2nd person singular	winks(t)	winks(t)
3rd person singular	wink(t)	wink
plural	winkt, winken	winken
imperative	present	—
singular	wink(e)
plural	winkt
participle	present	past
	winken	(e)winkt, gewinkt
Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Related terms

• wanken
• wenken
• Winker