List of 35 English Words That Originated From German


Did you know?
For every order ProofreadingServices.com processes, we donate one book to a homeless shelter. If you'd like to support our social mission, you can order proofreading, translation, or resume writing.
Seeking examples of words that entered English from a certain language? See this list of such terms. In this collection of terms you'll find English words that originated from German.

German is spoken in Germany, with stark dialectical differences between regions such as Bavaria, Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Württemberg. It’s also spoken in Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein, with their own unique dialects.

Word Origin
strudel Strudel
autobahn Auto + Bahn
Bauhaus Bauhaus
bildungsroman Bildung ("education") + Roman ("novel")
blitz Blitzkrieg
carabiner Karabinerhaken
dachshund Dachs ("badger") + Hund ("dog")
delicatessen Delikatessen
doppelgänger Doppelgänger
edelweiss Edelweiß
feldspar Feldspat
fest Fest
gedankenexperiment Gedankenexperiment
gesundheit gesund ("healthy") + -heit ("-hood")
Götterdämmerung Götterdämmerung
kaput kaputt
katzenjammer Katze ("cat") + Jammer ("distress")
kindergarten Kinder ("children") + Garten ("garden")
kuchen Kuchen
lederhosen Lederhose
leitmotif Leitmotiv
liverwurst Leberwurst
Neanderthal Neanderthal
noodle Nudel
panzer Panzer
poltergeist poltern ("to knock") + Geist ("ghost")
sauerkraut sauer ("sour") + Kraut ("greens")
schadenfreude Schaden ("damage") + Freude ("joy")
waltz Walzer
wanderlust wandern ("to wander") + Lust ("desire")
Weltanschauung Welt ("world") + Anschauung ("view")
wunderkind Wunder ("wonder") + Kind ("child")
zeitgeist Zeit ("time") +‎ Geist ("spirit")
zeppelin Zeppelin
zugzwang Zug ("move") + Zwang ("compulsion")



Need help with proofreading, translation, or resume writing? Contact us.