nounnounnoun

der Taube, -n

pigeon

Ein Vogel mit rundem Körper, kurzem Hals und weichen Federn, der oft in Städten lebt.

Definition & meaning

The word "Taube" has two distinct meanings in German:

It refers to a bird of the family Columbidae, translated as "pigeon" or "dove" in English. In many cultures, specifically the white dove is recognized as a symbol of peace or the Holy Spirit.
It is a nominalized adjective referring to a "deaf person." Specifically, "die Taube" refers to a deaf woman, while "der Taube" refers to a deaf man. This usage describes someone who lacks the sense of hearing.

Grammar & Word origin

When referring to the bird, "Taube" is a feminine noun (die Taube) with the plural form "die Tauben". Etymologically, it stems from the Old High German "tūba" and the Middle High German "tūbe". It is related to the English word "dove".

When referring to a person, it functions as a nominalized adjective derived from the adjective taub. This means its endings change based on the gender and the article used (e.g., "eine Taube," "die Taube," "der Taube"). This root is related to words meaning "deaf" or "senseless" across various Germanic languages.

Synonyms & antonyms

For the bird: Synonyms include Straßentaube (city pigeon), Haustaube (domestic pigeon), or Friedenstaube (peace dove). There are no direct antonyms for a biological species.

For the person: Synonyms include Gehörlose (deaf person) or the adjective gehörlos. Historically, the term taubstumm (deaf-mute) was used, though it is now often avoided in favor of more precise terms. Antonyms include hörend (hearing) or simply the state of being able to hear.