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noun

das Fernsehen, null

television

Es ist ein Gerät, mit dem man bewegte Bilder und Töne aus der ganzen Welt sehen und hören kann.

Definition & meaning

The word Fernsehen has two primary meanings in German:

  1. The medium or technology: It refers to the system of transmitting moving images and sound over a distance, as well as the entire industry of broadcasting. In this sense, it describes television as an institution or a technical service.
  2. The activity: It refers to the act of watching television programs. When used as a gerund (the noun form of the verb fernsehen), it describes the hobby or pastime of viewing TV content.

It is important to distinguish the medium Fernsehen from the physical device used to watch it, which is called a Fernseher.

Grammar & Word origin

The word is a neuter noun (das Fernsehen). It is a compound word consisting of two parts:

  • fern: Meaning "far" or "distant".
  • sehen: Meaning "to see".

Literally, it translates to "far-seeing." This is a direct linguistic equivalent to the Greek and Latin roots of the English word "tele-vision" (tele = far, visio = seeing). The term became popular in the early 20th century as the technology was developed. While the noun is capitalized, the related verb fernsehen (to watch TV) is a separable verb used frequently in daily conversation.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • TV: A common abbreviation used in both formal and informal contexts.
  • Rundfunk: A broader term that technically encompasses both television and radio, though often used specifically for public broadcasting.
  • Glotze: A very colloquial and slightly derogatory slang term for the television.
  • Flimmerkiste: An informal, old-fashioned term literally meaning "flicker box," referring to the way old screens used to behave.

Antonyms

  • Radio: Refers to the audio-only medium, which is traditionally viewed as the alternative broadcast format.
  • Hörfunk: The technical term for radio broadcasting.
  • Lesen: Often cited as the opposite activity in terms of media consumption (active reading versus passive watching).

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Examples

Kinder schauen oft Fernsehen nach der Schule.noun

Children often watch television after school.

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