Germanic

1 of 2

adjective

Ger·​man·​ic (ˌ)jər-ˈma-nik How to pronounce Germanic (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Sofia encounters Ingrid, glowingly Germanic and glamorous, riding a horse along the wet sand. Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025 The site was used in the period when Christianity was slowly spreading northwards and eastwards from the realm of the Franks—a Germanic people who occupied large parts of Western Europe and Central Europe (with some expansion into Southern Europe) during the medieval era. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Noun
These variations include all languages with Germanic, Romantic, Slavic, Indo-Iranian, and Celtic ancestry. Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025 Now evidence of trip is found The style of ornamentation, depicting an animal with teeth and large eyes, was typical of the late Germanic Iron Age, the period directly before the rise of the Vikings, around 650 to 750 A.D., Nielsen said. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for Germanic 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1718, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Germanic was in 1539

Dictionary Entries Near Germanic

Cite this Entry

“Germanic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Germanic. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

Germanic

1 of 2 adjective
Ger·​man·​ic (ˌ)jər-ˈman-ik How to pronounce Germanic (audio)
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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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