benetzen

From Middle High German benetzen, from Old High German binezzen, derived from nezzen, from Proto-West Germanic *nattjan, from Proto-Germanic *natjaną, from *nataz (“wet”), whence German nass. Equivalent to be- +‎ netzen, which simplex is highly archaic. The relation with nass is typically not recognised by contemporary speakers, who may in fact associate it with Netz (“net”), as if meaning “to coat with a film of liquid as with a net”.

• IPA^(key): /bəˈnɛt͡sən/

• Audio:

  (file)

benetzen (weak, third-person singular present benetzt, past tense benetzte, past participle benetzt, auxiliary haben)

1. (formal, literary) to moisten; to wet (a surface)

   Synonym: befeuchten

• Benetzen, Benetzung

• nass

• “benetzen” in Duden online
• “benetzen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “benetzen” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “benetzen” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.