gau

noun

ˈgau̇

plural gaus

-au̇z

or gaue

-au̇ə

1

: a region or district in German tribal organization including two or more marks and inhabited by kindred tribes

2

: one of the 20 party districts into which Germany including Austria was divided by the National Socialists

Word History

Etymology

German, from Old High German gouw-, gewi district, region; akin to Old English -gē district, region (in place names), Old Frisian gā, Old Saxon -gō (in place names), Gothic gawi; all probably from a prehistoric West Germanic-East Germanic compound whose components are represented respectively by Old High German gi- (perfective and collective prefix) and ouwa land by water, meadow

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