Spatz

• Schpatz

From Middle High German spaz, spatze, a diminutive of spare, from Old High German sparo (“sparrow”), from Proto-West Germanic *sparwō. Cognate with German Spatz.

Spatz m (plural Spatze, diminutive Spätzli)

1. sparrow

• IPA^(key): /ʃpats/

• Audio:

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• Audio:

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• Rhymes: -ats

From Middle High German spaz, spatze, from a diminutive of sparwe, from Old High German sparo + -izo (compare Wanze and names like Fritz, Heinz, Kunz). Related with Sperling.

Spatz m (mixed or weak, genitive Spatzes or Spatzen, plural Spatzen)

1. (especially southern and western) sparrow

   Synonym: Sperling

2. (ornithology, technical) house sparrow (Passer domesticus)

   Synonym: Haussperling

• Though most dictionaries prescribe weak singular forms, the mixed declension has always existed alongside. It is predominant in speech and since the late 20th century also in writing.

• Feldspatz
• mit Kanonen auf Spatzen schießen

• Spätzle

• → Luxembourgish: Spatz

From Etymology 1, but with a different plural on the model of the rhyming word Schatz.

Spatz m (strong, genitive Spatzes, plural Spätze)

1. an affectionate nickname, mostly used towards children, more seldom towards lovers, almost never with friends

   Hallo, mein Spatz! ― Hello, sweetie!

   Hallo, meine Spätze! ― Hello, my darlings!

• “Spatz” in Duden online
• “Spatz” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Form German Spatz.

• IPA^(key): /ʃpɑts/

  Rhymes: -ɑts

  Homophone: spatz

Spatz m (plural Spatzen)

1. sparrow

• Mësch (the originally Luxembourgish word)