Gelenk

German

Etymology

From Middle High German gelenke (“joint, bend, waist”), from Old High German gilenki, gihlenki (“abdomen”), from Proto-Germanic *gahlankiją, from *hlankaz (“flexible, lank, slender”). Related to Middle High German lanke (“hip, flank, loin”), from Old High German hlanka (“side, flank, hip, loin”). Cognate with Hunsrik Gelenk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡəˈlɛŋk/, [ɡəˈlɛŋkʰ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Gelenk n (strong, genitive Gelenkes or Gelenks, plural Gelenke)

1. joint

   Synonym: Geleich

Declension

Declension of Gelenk [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Gelenk	die	Gelenke
genitive	eines	des	Gelenkes, Gelenks	der	Gelenke
dative	einem	dem	Gelenk, Gelenke1	den	Gelenken
accusative	ein	das	Gelenk	die	Gelenke

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• Handgelenk n (“wrist”)
• Kiefergelenk n (“temporomandibular joint”)
• gelenkig
• Sprunggelenk n (“ankle joint”)

Further reading

• “Gelenk” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• “Gelenk” in Duden online
• “Gelenk” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Gelenk” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache