noun

die Behauptung, -en

claim

Eine Aussage, von der jemand sagt, dass sie wahr ist, ohne dafür sofort einen Beweis zu geben.

Definition & meaning

A Behauptung is an assertion, a claim, or a statement that something is true, often without immediate proof or evidence provided. Depending on the context, it can have different nuances:

Assertion/Claim: A statement put forward as a fact, which may be debated or requires verification.
Maintenance/Assertion of rights: In a more legal or formal context, it refers to the act of upholding or asserting a position, a right, or one's own standing (related to the verb behaupten).

Grammar & Word origin

The word is a feminine noun (die Behauptung, plural: die Behauptungen).

It is derived from the German verb behaupten (to assert/claim). The verb itself contains the root Haupt (head). Historically, behaupten meant "to keep one's head" or "to hold one's ground." Over time, the meaning shifted from physically holding a position or territory to stating or maintaining a viewpoint as if it were a solid fact.