Knilch

German

Alternative forms

• Knülch (archaic)

Etymology

Ca. 1900, of uncertain origin. The two main theories are:

• From the adjective knollig (“bulbous”, archaically “ruff, boorish”). Also attested with umlaut as knöllicht.
• From Central Franconian Knünich (“canon, kind of clergyman”, figuratively “withdrawn, somber person”), from Old High German canunih (12th c.), from Latin canonicus. A form with /l/ appears to be unattested in the dialects, but is easily explained through dissimilation.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /knɪlç/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Knilch m (strong, genitive Knilches or Knilchs, plural Knilche) (colloquial, chiefly northern and central Germany)

1. (dated) an unpleasant or mean-spirited man
2. (now usually) a flippant word for a male person, vaguely negative, but not associated with any particular qualities

Declension

Declension of Knilch [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Knilch	die	Knilche
genitive	eines	des	Knilches, Knilchs	der	Knilche
dative	einem	dem	Knilch, Knilche1	den	Knilchen
accusative	einen	den	Knilch	die	Knilche

¹Now rare, see notes.