411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Geschwister
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
German
Etymology
From de gmh geswister, from de goh giswëstar, equivalent to de ge- Schwester. Compare osx gisustrōni sibling, ofs swesterne, ofs susterne, ofs sisterne siblings, ang ġesweostren maternal cousin, sister.
Pronunciation
de /ɡəˈʃvɪstər/ [ɡəˈʃʋɪs.tɐ]
de De-Geschwister.ogg
de De-Geschwister2.ogg <<Germany>> (<<Berlin>>)
de Ge schwis ter
de ɪstɐ
Noun
n chen,lein,l
de chiefly in the plural sibling
Usage notes
The backformed singular de das Geschwister is uncommon and very rare. It is replaced with the diminutive de Geschwisterchen or the compound de Geschwisterkind, both of which are generally restricted to children, however. Accordingly there is no gender-neutral word for an adult sibling.
An alternative singular de das Geschwist may also be backformed, but this is equally rare and chiefly jocular.
Declension
n
Derived terms
de Geschwisterkind
Further reading
de Family members