noun

die Scheibe, -n

slice · pane · window pane

Ein flaches, rundes Stück aus Material wie Glas, Metall oder Brot.

Definition & meaning

Scheibe is a feminine noun with several related meanings, usually referring to something flat and relatively thin:

A pane of glass, especially in a window or vehicle.
Example: a window pane.
A slice or thin, flat piece cut from something, such as bread, cheese, or sausage.
Example: a slice of bread.
A flat, round object or disk, including a record or a computer storage disk.
A target used in shooting or archery, often a flat circular board.

Grammar & Word origin

Gender: feminine — die Scheibe
Plural: die Scheiben
The word is historically related to Old High German scība and Middle High German schībe, meaning a flat, round piece. In modern German, it is not normally divided into smaller meaningful parts.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no single synonym that works for all meanings:

Platte means a flat slab, plate, or disk. It can overlap with Scheibe for a flat object, but often suggests something thicker or more solid.
Scheibchen means a small or thin slice; it is a diminutive, so it emphasizes small size.
Diskus refers more specifically to a disk-shaped object, especially in technical or sporting contexts.
Zielscheibe is specifically a shooting target.

There is no general antonym. In the “slice” sense, das Ganze (“the whole”) can provide a contrast, but it is not a direct opposite in every context.

Common phrases & collocations

die Fensterscheibe — window pane
die Autoscheibe — car window
eine Scheibe Brot — a slice of bread
eine Scheibe Käse — a slice of cheese
eine Scheibe abschneiden — literally “to cut off a slice”; idiomatically, to learn from or imitate someone’s good example.