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noun

der Absatz, ¨-e (hinterer Teil eines Schuhs)

heel

Dies ist ein Teil von einem Text, der nach einer leeren Zeile oder einem Zeilenumbruch neu beginnt. Es kann aber auch der hintere, hohe Teil an einem Schuh sein.

Definition & meaning

Absatz has several meanings, depending on context:

  1. A paragraph or section of text — a distinct block of writing, usually separated from the text around it by a line break or indentation.
  2. Sales or the selling of goods — the amount of a product sold, or the process of finding buyers for it.
  3. The heel of a shoe — the raised part at the back of a shoe.
  4. A ledge or step-like projection — for example, a shelf-like part of a rock face.

Grammar & Word origin

Absatz is a masculine noun: der Absatz. Its plural is die Absätze.

It is formed from ab- and Satz , related to the verb absetzen (“to set off” or “to sell”). The different meanings developed around the ideas of setting something apart, placing something, and selling goods.

Synonyms & antonyms

  • In the sense of a text section, Abschnitt is a general word for a section; Paragraph more specifically means a paragraph or numbered legal provision. Both can often replace Absatz, though Abschnitt may refer to a larger part of a text.
  • In the sales sense, Verkauf means a sale or the act of selling, while Vertrieb refers more broadly to distribution and the organization of sales. Neither is an exact synonym in every context.
  • For the shoe meaning, Ferse means the heel of the foot, not the heel of a shoe, so it is related but not interchangeable.

There is no standard antonym for Absatz in these senses.

Common phrases & collocations

  • einen Absatz schreiben — to write a paragraph
  • im nächsten Absatz — in the next paragraph
  • guten Absatz finden — to sell well
  • der Absatz steigt / sinkt — sales rise / fall
  • Schuhe mit hohen Absätzen — high-heeled shoes

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Examples

Der hohe Absatz an ihrem rechten Schuh ist gestern plötzlich abgebrochen.noun

The high heel on her right shoe suddenly broke off yesterday.

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