german
Preserved but no longer current.
Also seen as: germane
Pertaining to, nearly related to, as cousins-german (first cousins), germane to the subject (bearing on or pertinent to the subject). This word has no connexion with the German nation, but is Lat., germanus, of the same germ or stock.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “german” mean?
Pertaining to, nearly related to, as cousins-german (first cousins), germane to the subject (bearing on or pertinent to the subject). This word has no connexion with the German nation, but is Lat., germanus, of the same germ or stock.
Is “german” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.