mächtig

See also: machtig and -mächtig

German

Etymology

From Middle High German mehtic (mehtec), from Old High German mahtīg, mahtīc, from Proto-West Germanic *mahtīg. Equivalent to Macht +‎ -ig. Compare Dutch machtig, English mighty.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmɛçtɪç/ (Germany)
    • Audio:(file)(Germany)
  • IPA(key): /ˈmɛçtɪk/ (Austria, Southern Germany, Switzerland)
  • Hyphenation: mäch‧tig

Adjective

mächtig (strong nominative masculine singular mächtiger, comparative mächtiger, superlative am mächtigsten)

  1. powerful, mighty
    Ist Deutschland ein mächtiges Land?
    Is Germany a powerful country?
  2. (higher register) capable, having command [with genitive ‘of something’]
    Er ist dieser Sprache nicht mächtig.
    He has no command of this language.
  3. (colloquial) intense
    Er bekam einen mächtigen Wutanfall.
    He got into an intense rage.
  4. (regional, including western Germany) very filling, heavy (of food)
    Die Sahnetorte war mir zu mächtig.
    The cream cake was too filling for my taste.

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading