German

German, jėr′man, n. a native of Germany; the German language:—pl. Ger′mans.—adj. of or from Germany.—adjs. Germanesque′, marked by German characteristics; German′ic, pertaining to Germany.—adv. German′ically.—v.i. Ger′manise, to show German qualities.—adj. Ger′manish, somewhat German in qualities.—ns. Ger′manism, an idiom of the German language; Ger′manist.—adj. Germanis′tic, pertaining to the study of German.—n. Ger′man-sil′ver, an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc, white like silver, and first made in Germany.—High German, the variety of Teutonic speech, originally confined to 'High' or Southern Germany, but now accepted as the literary language throughout the whole of Germany; Low German, properly Plattdeutsch, the general name for the dialects of Germany which are not High German, but also applied by philologists to all the West Germanic dialects except High German (including English, Dutch, Frisian), and formerly in a still wider sense including also Gothic and Scandinavian. [L. Germani, 'shouters,' from Celt. gairm, a loud cry; or 'neighbours'—i.e. to the Gauls, from Celt. (Old Ir.) gair, a neighbour.]