-erweise

See also: erweise

German

Alternative forms

• -er Weise

Etymology

From the genitive feminine singular adjective ending -er and the feminine noun Weise. This was originally an adverbial genitive first used in Middle High German. For example, ‎lustiger Weise → ‎lustig ‎-erweise → ‎lustigerweise. Adverbs formed this way represent univerbations of genitive absolute adjective-noun phrases.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɐˌvaɪ̯zə/

Suffix

-erweise

1. Used to form adverbs from adjectives and participles; these adverbs are used to modify phrases or sentences. Cognate with English -wise.

   ‎normal (“normal”) ‎-erweise → ‎normalerweise (“normally”)

   ‎traurig (“sad”) ‎-erweise → ‎traurigerweise (“sadly”)

   ‎lustig (“funny”) ‎-erweise → ‎lustigerweise (“funnily”)

   ‎gleich (“equal, alike”) ‎-erweise → ‎gleicherweise (“likewise”)

Usage notes

• A normal German adverb, which modifies verbs, nouns, adjectives, or (other) adverbs, is identical to the basic form of the respective adjective. Only when an adverb refers to a whole phrase or sentence does it take the ending -erweise. The distinction may be semantic. Compare:

  Er kehrte traurig in seine Heimat zurück. (“He sadly returned to his homeland.”) (He felt sad as he returned to his homeland.)

  Er kehrte traurigerweise in seine Heimat zurück. (“Sadly, he returned to his homeland.”) (It is sad that he returned to his homeland.)

Derived terms

German terms suffixed with -erweise

See also

• -weise

Further reading

• “-erweise” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache