adjective
dürr
scrawny
Sehr dünn oder sehr trocken, zum Beispiel ein Mensch mit wenig Körperfett oder eine Pflanze ohne Wasser.
Definition & meaning
The German adjective dürr generally describes something that is extremely dry, withered, or thin. Depending on the context, it can have two primary meanings:
- Dried out or withered: It is used to describe plants, branches, or landscapes that have lost their moisture, often due to heat or lack of water. It implies a state of being lifeless or brittle (e.g., "dürres Laub" - withered leaves).
- Very thin or gaunt: When applied to people or animals, it describes someone who is extremely skinny, bony, or lacking flesh. It often carries a slightly negative or clinical connotation, emphasizing a lack of health or vitality.
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: dürr is an adjective. It can be used predicatively (e.g., "Der Ast ist dürr") or attributively (e.g., "ein dürrer Mensch"). When declined, it follows standard adjective inflection (e.g., "der dürre Baum", "eine dürre Person").
- Word origin: The word stems from the Old High German "durri", which shares the same Germanic root as the English word "dry". It is etymologically related to the Proto-Germanic "*durzus".
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- For the meaning of dry/withered: trocken, vertrocknet, welk, ausgedörrt.
- For the meaning of thin/gaunt: mager, hager, knochig, schlank.
Antonyms:
Make “dürr” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Der dürre Hund hatte offenbar lange nichts gefressen.adjective
The scrawny dog had apparently not eaten anything for a long time.
Keep exploring German
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad