nüchtern
German
Etymology
From Middle High German nüehtern, from Old High German nuohtarn, nuohturn, from Latin nocturnus (“nocturnal”). The word was probably originally used among monks in monasteries, with sense development "nocturnal" > "of dawn (the edge of night and day)" > "not having consumed any sustenance yet" > "sober". Compare Danish nøgtern, Hunsrik nichter, English nocturnal.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈnʏçtɐn/
- Hyphenation: nüch‧tern
Audio: (file)
Adjective
nüchtern (strong nominative masculine singular nüchterner, comparative nüchterner, superlative am nüchternsten)
- sober (not drunk; serious, not playful or passionate)
- (medicine) on an empty stomach
- Bitte kommen Sie nüchtern zur Untersuchung.
- Please do not eat anything before the examination.
- matter-of-fact, unemotional
Declension
Positive forms of nüchtern
Comparative forms of nüchtern
Superlative forms of nüchtern