German

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Etymology

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    From Middle High German zeichen, from Old High German zeihhan (sign, symbol), from Proto-West Germanic *taikn, from Proto-Germanic *taikną, *taiknaz (sign), from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (to show). Doublet of Token.

    Cognate with Dutch teken, Low German Teiken, English token, Danish tegn, Swedish tecken.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    Zeichen n (strong, genitive Zeichens, plural Zeichen, diminutive Zeichlein n or Zeichelchen n)

    1. sign, token (object representing something)
      Sie gab mir ihr Taschentuch als Zeichen ihrer Liebe.
      She gave me her handkerchief as a token of her love.
    2. signal (gesture, command or other indication to announce or alert)
    3. sign, indication (fact that reveals an underlying state)
      Synonym: Anzeichen
      Der Einstellungsstopp ist ein Zeichen, dass es der Firma nicht gut geht.
      The hiring freeze is a sign that the company isn't doing well.
    4. sign, mark (glyph that communicates something)
    5. (typography) character
    6. (religion) sign, miracle, prodigy

    Declension

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    Hyponyms

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    Derived terms

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    Further reading

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