rechen

Definition & meaning

The German word der Rechen primarily refers to a rake, a garden tool with a long handle and a row of metal or wooden teeth at the end, used for gathering leaves, hay, or leveling soil.

In a technical or industrial context, it refers to a trash rack or a screen used in water management, dams, or sewage treatment plants. Its purpose here is to filter out large debris (like branches, stones, or waste) from flowing water to prevent damage to machinery like turbines or pumps.

Grammar & Word origin

• Grammar: It is a masculine noun (der). The plural form is also die Rechen.
• Word origin: It is derived from the Old High German word rehho and is etymologically related to the verb rechen (to rake) and the noun Rachen (throat/maw), as the teeth of the tool resemble an open mouth.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

• For the garden tool: der Harke [rechen↗] (often used interchangeably in common speech, though Harke is more standard for small hand tools).
• For the technical device: das Sieb [rechen↗], der Filter [rechen↗], das Gitter [rechen↗].

Antonyms:

There are no direct antonyms for this noun, as it describes a specific physical object.