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adverbadjective

originalgetreu

true to the original

So, dass etwas sehr genau dem echten Vorbild entspricht und kaum davon abweicht.

Definition & meaning

The word originalgetreu is an adjective used to describe something that is a faithful, accurate, or exact reproduction of an original. It implies that no changes, distortions, or modernizations have been made, and the result corresponds perfectly to the source material.

This term is commonly used in several contexts:

  • Art and Restoration: A painting or building that has been restored to look exactly as it did when it was first created.
  • Media and Technology: A recording or a copy of a document that matches the original source without loss of quality or detail.
  • Narrative and Law: A report or testimony that recounts events exactly as they happened.
  • Model Building: A miniature model that includes every detail of the full-sized object.

Grammar & Word origin

The word is a compound adjective formed from two parts:

  1. das Original: Derived from the Latin "originalis," meaning the primary source or the first version of something.
  2. getreu: A German adjective meaning "faithful," "loyal," or "true to."

In a sentence, it can be used as an attribute before a noun (e.g., eine originalgetreue Kopie) or as an adverb describing an action (e.g., etwas originalgetreu wiedergeben).

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

  • authentisch: Meaning authentic or genuine.
  • echt: Meaning real or true.
  • wahrheitsgetreu: Specifically meaning true to the facts or truthful.
  • unverfälscht: Meaning unadulterated or not tampered with.
  • akkurat: Meaning accurate or precise.
  • wortgetreu: Specifically for text, meaning word-for-word or literal.

Antonyms:

  • verfälscht: Meaning distorted, faked, or altered.
  • ungenau: Meaning imprecise or inaccurate.
  • abweichend: Meaning deviating or different from the original.
  • frei: In the context of "eine freie Interpretation," meaning a loose or non-literal interpretation.

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Examples

Die Kopie sieht fast originalgetreu aus.adjective

The copy looks almost true to the original.

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