Fetzen

See also: fetzen

German

Etymology

From Middle High German vetze (“rag, tatters”), ultimately from the root of fassen (“to grasp”).

Cognate with Proto-Germanic *fatą (“vat, item of clothing”), Old Norse fǫt (“clothes”), Portuguese fato (“clothing”), Spanish hato.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Fetzen m (strong, genitive Fetzens, plural Fetzen)

1. scrap, rag (torn piece of fabric or paper)
2. rags (tattered clothing)
3. (colloquial) low-quality, ill-fitting clothing
4. (Austria, dated) work apron
5. (Austria, colloquial) cleaning cloth, dustcloth
6. (Austria, colloquial) lowest grade in school (nicht genügend)

   Synonyms: Fleck, Fünfer, Pintsch

7. (Austria, Bavaria, colloquial) alcohol intoxication

Declension

Declension of Fetzen [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Fetzen	die	Fetzen
genitive	eines	des	Fetzens	der	Fetzen
dative	einem	dem	Fetzen	den	Fetzen
accusative	einen	den	Fetzen	die	Fetzen

Further reading

• “Fetzen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Fetzen” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• “Fetzen” in Duden online
• Fetzen, owid.de