געזעלשאַפֿט

Yiddish

Alternative forms

• געזעלנשאַפֿט (gezelnshaft)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle High German gesellescaft, from Old High German giselliscaft. By surface analysis, געזעל (gezel, “journeyman”) +‎ ־שאַפֿט (-shaft). Compare German Gesellschaft, Dutch gezelschap.

Noun

געזעלשאַפֿט • (gezelshaft) f, plural געזעלשאַפֿטן (gezelshaftn)

1. society, community (group of people sharing culture)
2. (business) company

   Synonym: פֿירמע (firme)

   אַנאָנימע געזעלשאַפֿט ― anonime gezelshaft ― public limited company (literally, “anonymous company”)

Derived terms

• געזעלשאַפֿטיק (gezelshaftik)
• געזעלשאַפֿטיקייט (gezelshaftikeyt)
• געזעלשאַפֿטלעך (gezelshaftlekh)
• געזעלשאַפֿטלעכקייט (gezelshaftlekhkeyt)
• צער־⁠בעלי־⁠חיים־געזעלשאַפֿט (tsar-bale-khayem-gezelshaft)

 

References

• Astravux, Aljaksandar (2008) “gezél(n)šaft”, in Idyš-bjelaruski slóŭnik [Yiddish–Belarusian Dictionary], Minsk: Mjedisónt, →ISBN, page 348
• Justus van de Kamp et al., “געזעלשאַפֿט” in Jiddisch-Nederlands Woordenboek [Yiddish-Dutch Dictionary], Amsterdam: Stichting Jiddische Lexicografie, 1987-present (ongoing). [1].