Urgestein

Urgestein

German

Etymology

ur +‎ Gestein

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈuːɐ̯ɡəˌʃtaɪ̯n/

Noun

Urgestein n (genitive Urgesteines or Urgesteins, plural Urgesteine)

1. (dated) primary rock, such as granite, gneiss, etc.
2. (figuratively) an institution in a company or organization, a founding father, a veteran, etc.

   ein politisches Urgestein ― a dyed-in-the-wool politician

Declension

Declension of Urgestein

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Urgestein	die	Urgesteine
genitive	eines	des	Urgesteines, Urgesteins	der	Urgesteine
dative	einem	dem	Urgestein, Urgesteine1	den	Urgesteinen
accusative	ein	das	Urgestein	die	Urgesteine

¹Now uncommon, see notes

Synonyms

• (figurative): Mann der ersten Stunde, einer von der alten Garde

Related terms

• Urgroßvater
• Urgesteinsmehl
• Erzgestein

Further reading

• “Urgestein” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• Urgestein in Duden online