Germanic

1 of 2

adjective

Ger·​man·​ic (ˌ)jər-ˈma-nik 

1

: german

2

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the Germanic-speaking peoples

3

: of, relating to, or constituting Germanic

Germanic

2 of 2

noun

: a branch of the Indo-European language family containing English, German, Dutch, Afrikaans, Frisian, the Scandinavian languages, and Gothic see Indo-European Languages Table

Examples of Germanic in a Sentence

Adjective

Germanic languages, such as German, English, Dutch, and the Scandinavian languages.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Anglo-Saxons were a group of Germanic tribes that settled in Britain during the early medieval period after the Roman withdrawal. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

The word is related to similar terms in other Germanic languages, such as Old High German scūban and Old Norse skúfa. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

Noun

Most days of the week are split between Germanic/Norse gods and their Roman counterparts. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1718, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing Germanic

• East Germanic
• Indo-Germanic
• North Germanic
• West Germanic

Kids Definition

Germanic

1 of 2 adjective

Ger·​man·​ic (ˌ)jər-ˈman-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the peoples speaking Germanic languages

2

: of or relating to Germanic

Germanic

2 of 2 noun

: a branch of the Indo-European language family containing English, German, Dutch, Afrikaans, Frisian, Gothic, and the Scandinavian languages