Gestein
German
Etymology
From Middle High German gesteine, from Old High German gisteini, a collective formation equivalent to ge- + Stein.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɡəˈʃtaɪ̯n/
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -aɪ̯n
Noun
Gestein n (strong, genitive Gesteines or Gesteins, plural Gesteine)
- rock, mass of stone, especially as part of the crust of the earth
- Synonym: Fels
- 2010, Der Spiegel, issue 35/2010, page 96:
- Viele Gewässer sind mit Quecksilber belastet, das die Goldsucher einsetzen, um das Metall vom Gestein zu lösen.
- Many waters are polluted with mercury, which is used by gold diggers to separate the metal from the rock.
Usage notes
- The plural refers to different kinds of rock.
Declension
Declension of Gestein [neuter, strong]
singular | plural | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
indef. | def. | noun | def. | noun | |
nominative | ein | das | Gestein | die | Gesteine |
genitive | eines | des | Gesteines, Gesteins | der | Gesteine |
dative | einem | dem | Gestein, Gesteine1 | den | Gesteinen |
accusative | ein | das | Gestein | die | Gesteine |
1Now uncommon, see notes.
Derived terms
- Edelgestein
- Mondgestein
- Urgestein
Further reading
- “Gestein” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
- “Gestein” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
- “Gestein” in Duden online
Gestein on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia de