noun

die Ermittlung, -en

investigation

Eine Suche nach Informationen, bei der man herausfinden will, was genau passiert ist oder wer etwas getan hat.

Definition & meaning

Ermittlung is a feminine German noun meaning investigation, inquiry, or the process of finding out something.

It is mainly used in two contexts:

Police or legal investigation
An organized effort to discover facts, identify a suspect, or clarify a crime.
- Die Polizei führt eine Ermittlung durch. — The police are conducting an investigation.
- Die Ermittlungen dauern noch an. — The investigation is still ongoing.
Determination or calculation of a value or fact
The process of establishing or calculating something precisely.
- die Ermittlung des Preises — the determination of the price
- die Ermittlung der Ursache — finding out the cause

Grammar & Word origin

Gender: feminine
Article: die
Plural: die Ermittlungen
Verb: ermitteln — to investigate, determine, or establish
Noun-forming suffix: -ung

The word comes from the verb ermitteln , which is related to the idea of finding or determining something through systematic examination. The ending -ung turns the verb into a noun describing an action or process.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

die Untersuchung — investigation or examination; broader than Ermittlung and also commonly used for medical or scientific examinations.
die Nachforschung — inquiry or fact-finding; emphasizes actively searching for information.
die Recherche — research or investigation, especially when gathering information from documents, databases, or sources.
die Aufklärung — clarification or solving of a matter, especially a crime; it often refers to the successful clarification rather than the investigative process itself.

Antonyms

There is no single exact antonym. Depending on the context, possible opposites include:

die Vertuschung — concealment or covering up of facts; this is the clearest opposite in a legal or criminal context.
die Verschleierung — deliberate obscuring or disguising of the truth.
die Unaufgeklärtheit — the state of remaining unexplained or unresolved.

Common phrases & collocations

eine Ermittlung durchführen — to conduct an investigation
Ermittlungen aufnehmen — to begin an investigation
Ermittlungen einleiten — to initiate an investigation
Ermittlungen anstellen — to carry out an investigation
die polizeilichen Ermittlungen — the police investigation
die staatsanwaltschaftlichen Ermittlungen — the public prosecutor’s investigation
die Ermittlungen dauern an — the investigation is continuing
die Ermittlung des Täters — identifying or finding the perpetrator
die Ermittlung der Ursache — determining the cause