Wunderwaffe
German
Etymology
Wunder (“miracle, wonder”) + Waffe (“weapon”)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈvʊndərˌvafə/, [ˈvʊn.dɐˌva.fə], [ˈʋʊn.dɐˌʋa.fə]
Audio (file) Audio (Austria) (file)
Noun
Wunderwaffe f (genitive Wunderwaffe, plural Wunderwaffen)
- wonderweapon
- (historical) a Nazi propaganda term from the final phase of World War Two referring to secret weapon designs claimed to be revolutionary and capable of winning the war for Germany (many of these were fictional and intended merely to strengthen morale, others were ineffective or not finalized)
- (figuratively, usually sarcastically) magic bullet, panacea (a universal solution which solves all problems related to a particular issue)
- Synonym: Allheilmittel
- 2022 January 29, Antje Lang-Lendorff, “Im Gespräch mit einer Impfgegnerin: Sabine hofft auf Omikron”, in Die Tageszeitung: taz, ISSN 0931-9085:
- Tatsächlich gab es 2021 in den USA einen Hype um Ivermectin. Eine Gruppe von Ärzten pries das Medikament als Wunderwaffe gegen Corona, es wirke auch präventiv.
- (please add an English translation of this quote)
Declension
Declension of Wunderwaffe [feminine]
| singular | plural | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| indef. | def. | noun | def. | noun | |
| nominative | eine | die | Wunderwaffe | die | Wunderwaffen |
| genitive | einer | der | Wunderwaffe | der | Wunderwaffen |
| dative | einer | der | Wunderwaffe | den | Wunderwaffen |
| accusative | eine | die | Wunderwaffe | die | Wunderwaffen |
Further reading
- “Wunderwaffe” in Duden online
- “Wunderwaffe” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache