der Schwager, ¨-

The German word "Schwager" is a noun meaning brother-in-law. It denotes the male relative who is either the brother of one's spouse or the husband of one's sibling.

• The word consists mainly of "Wager", an old root related to "Wage" (pledge, promise), but in this case "Schwager" is a standalone word for the familial relation, so the original components are less transparent.
• It is related to family terms like "Schwiegervater" (father-in-law), "Schwiegermutter" (mother-in-law), and "Schwägerin" (sister-in-law).

Similar words:

• Bürde (brother-in-law, dialectal in some areas)
• Angehört (relatives by marriage, general)

Difference:

"Schwager" specifically refers to the brother-in-law relationship, whereas words like Angehört are broader terms for relatives by marriage. "Bürde" is less commonly used and region-specific.