Mensch

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz (“human”), from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“human, man”). Cognates include German Mensch, Yiddish מענטש (mentsh), Dutch mens, English mannish, Old Norse mennskr, Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (mannisks).

Mensch m (accusative Menschen or Mensch'n, plural Menschen or Mensch'n or Menschn)

1. human, human being, man

Mensch n (plural Menscher, diminutive Menscherl)

1. female person, girl, woman

• Menscherer

• Herrenmensch

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz (“human”), from Proto-Germanic *mann- (“human, man”). Compare Yiddish מענטש (mentsh), Dutch mens, Swedish människa, all with the primary sense of “person” or “human being”.

• IPA^(key): /mɛnʃ/, [mɛnʃ], [mɛnt͡ʃ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: mensch

Mensch m (weak, genitive Menschen, plural Menschen, diminutive Menschchen n or Menschlein n, feminine Mensch or Menschin)

1. human, human being, person, man

   Sie ist ein ganz toller Mensch.

   She is a really awesome person.

• Mensch is a weak noun in the standard language but is part of a group of nouns with a tendency to be strong colloquially, so one might hear dem Mensch instead of dem Menschen.
• In older literature, the genitive des Menschens occurs.
• The feminine die Menschin is very rare in actual use; most uses are jocular.

• Bub m, Bube m, Junge m; Mädchen n
• Mann m; Frau f

Mensch n (strong, genitive Mensches or Menschs, plural Menscher)

1. (now often derogatory) woman

• In older language a neutral term, then applied upon servants and dismissively as “baggage, broad”.

• Fraumensch n, Frauenmensch n, Frauensmensch
• Weibsmensch n

Mensch

1. man! rah!

• Mann, Mannomann (mannomann), manno (Manno), menno, krass

• “Mensch” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Mensch (Frau)” in Duden online
• “Mensch (Lebewesen, Individuum)” in Duden online
• “Mensch” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• Friedrich Kluge (1883) “Mensch”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891
• “Mensch” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

From Middle High German mensche, mensch, from Old High German mennisko, a substantivization of the adjective mennisk, from man.

• IPA^(key): /mɛnʃ/

Mensch m (plural Mensche)

1. human, human being, person

   Keen Mensch konnd do leve.

   No human being could live here.

• Online Hunsrik Dictionary

From Middle Low German mensche, minsche, from Old Saxon mennisk, mennisko, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic *manniskaz.

Mensch m (plural Menschen)

1. human, human being, person