Widersinn

German

Etymology

From wider- +‎ Sinn.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈviːdəʁˌzɪn/, [ˈviːdɐˌzɪn]
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

Widersinn m (strong, genitive Widersinnes or Widersinns, no plural)

  1. misinterpretation, countersense
  2. inconsistency, contradiction
  3. nonsense, absurdity
    • 1905, Sigmund Freud, “Der Witz und seine Beziehung zum Unbewussten”, in Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious, page 45:
      Hat die Verwendung des Widersinnes in der Witztechnik jedesmal diese Bedeutung?
      Does the use of absurdity in joke technique always have this significance?

Declension

Declension of Widersinn [sg-only, masculine, strong]
singular
indef. def. noun
nominative ein der Widersinn
genitive eines des Widersinnes, Widersinns
dative einem dem Widersinn, Widersinne1
accusative einen den Widersinn

1Now rare, see notes.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Further reading

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