Metzger

German

Etymology

From Middle High German metziger, metzigære, variants of metzjer, metzjære, from Old High German meziāri, mezziāri (“butcher”), of uncertain origin. Perhaps a variant of Old High German mezalāri, mezzilāri (“merchant, moneychanger, butcher”), from Latin macellārius (“meat trader”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛtsɡɐ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Metzger m (strong, genitive Metzgers, plural Metzger, feminine Metzgerin)

1. (regional, chiefly western Germany, Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland) butcher (male or of unspecified gender)

   Synonyms: Fleischer, Fleischhacker, Fleischhauer, Schlachter

Usage notes

• This is the most common term for this profession in the German language area, albeit not the preferred one in government and other official contexts in Germany.

Declension

Declension of Metzger [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Metzger	die	Metzger
genitive	eines	des	Metzgers	der	Metzger
dative	einem	dem	Metzger	den	Metzgern
accusative	einen	den	Metzger	die	Metzger

Derived terms

• Metzgerei

Related terms

• Mezger

Further reading

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