noun

das System, -e

system

Eine geordnete Gruppe von Teilen oder Regeln, die zusammenarbeiten, um ein bestimmtes Ziel zu erreichen.

Definition & meaning

The word "System" in German refers to a set of interacting or interdependent component parts forming a complex and intricate whole. It describes an organized scheme or a set of principles and procedures according to which something is done. The term is used in various contexts:

Technical and Scientific: It can refer to a group of related hardware units or programs (like a computer system) or a group of body organs that together perform one or more vital functions.
Structural: A coordinated body of methods or a scheme or plan of procedure, such as a classification system.
Political/Social: The prevailing political, economic, or social order of a society.
Methodical: A regular or orderly way of doing things.

Grammar & Word origin

The word "System" is a neuter noun. The singular is "das System", and the plural is "die Systeme". In the genitive case, it becomes "des Systems".

It is derived from the Late Latin "systema", which originated from the Ancient Greek word "sýstēma". The Greek word translates literally to "a whole compounded of several parts" or "placed together". It is a combination of "syn" (together) and "histanai" (to set up or cause to stand).