der Kanzler, –
chancellor
Die Person, die die Regierung eines Landes führt und wichtige politische Entscheidungen leitet.
Definition & meaning
Kanzler is a masculine German noun meaning chancellor. Its exact meaning depends on context:
-
Head of government
In politics, a Kanzler is the head of a government, especially the German federal government. The official title is Bundeskanzler [ ] — the Federal Chancellor of Germany. -
Senior administrative official
At a university, a Kanzler is responsible for administration, finances, and legal matters. This role is different from that of the Rektor [ ] or Präsident [ ], who usually represents the academic leadership. -
Historical or ecclesiastical official
Historically, a Kanzler could be a high-ranking official in a royal court, state administration, or church organization.
Grammar & Word origin
- Article: der Kanzler
- Plural: die Kanzler
- Feminine form: die Kanzlerin [ ]
- Declension: weak masculine noun
- nominative: der Kanzler
- accusative: den Kanzler
- dative: dem Kanzler
- genitive: des Kanzlers
The word comes ultimately from Latin cancellarius, originally an official who worked near the cancelli, the lattice or barrier separating a court official from the public. It is related to Kanzlei [ ] (“chancellery” or “administrative office”). In modern German, Kanzler is not normally analyzed as a combination of smaller German words.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms and related terms
- Regierungschef [ ] — “head of government.” This is a more general term and can refer to a prime minister or chancellor in different political systems.
- Regierungsleiter [ ] — “leader of the government.” This is a descriptive, less common alternative.
- Bundeskanzler [ ] — specifically the chancellor of a federal state such as Germany; it is more precise than Kanzler.
- Reichskanzler [ ] — the historical title for the head of government of the German Reich; it is not used for the modern German government.
- Kanzlerin [ ] — the feminine form, not a synonym in grammatical gender.
In the university context, Verwaltungsleiter [ ] can describe a similar function, but it is a general administrative term rather than an official title.
Antonyms
There is no direct lexical antonym for Kanzler. Depending on the context, contrasting terms may include:
- Untergebener [ ] — a subordinate or person working under a superior.
- Oppositionsführer [ ] — the leader of the opposition, who contrasts politically with the head of government but is not an actual antonym.
Common phrases & collocations
- der Bundeskanzler [ ] — the Federal Chancellor
- der deutsche Kanzler [ ] [ ] — the German chancellor
- zum Kanzler gewählt werden [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] — to be elected chancellor
- das Amt des Kanzlers [ ] [ ] [ ] — the office of the chancellor
- Kanzleramt [ ] — the chancellorship or the Federal Chancellery, depending on context
- Kanzlerkandidat [ ] — candidate for chancellor
Make “Kanzler” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Der Kanzler spricht vor dem Parlament.noun
The chancellor speaks in front of the parliament.
Unser Kanzler trifft heute den Präsidenten.noun
Our Chancellor is meeting the President today.
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