ehrgeizig
ambitious
Jemand will ein Ziel stark erreichen und gibt sich viel Mühe, um besser zu werden oder Erfolg zu haben.
The German word "ehrgeizig" is an adjective meaning ambitious. It is made up of two parts:
- Ehr from Ehre, meaning honor
- Geizig, meaning stingy or greedy (though here it conveys strong desire or eagerness, not literally stinginess)
So "ehrgeizig" describes someone who has a strong desire for honor, success, or achievement.
Similar words:
- ambitioniert (ambitious, often somewhat formal)
- zielstrebig (purposeful, determined)
Difference:
- "ehrgeizig" emphasizes a strong personal drive or craving for achievement, which can have a slightly negative connotation (overly eager).
- "ambitioniert" is neutral or positive, indicating clear ambition.
- "zielstrebig" highlights focused determination rather than desire.
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Examples
Sie ist sehr ehrgeizig und strebt nach Erfolg.adjective
She is very ambitious and strives for success.
Matthias wirkt oft sehr ehrgeizig in seinen Projekten.adjective
Matthias often seems very ambitious in his projects.
Maria ist besonders ehrgeizig in der Schule.adjective
Maria is particularly ambitious in school.
Mein ehrgeiziger Bruder trainiert täglich für den Wettkampf.adjective
My ambitious brother trains every day for the competition.
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