Backfisch

See also: backfisch

German

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Backfisch

Etymology

From backen (“to bake”) +‎ Fisch (“fish”). Figurative sense probably from the use of younger, smaller fish for baking, although many different theories exist.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈbakˌfɪʃ]
Audio: (file)
Audio: (file)

Noun

Backfisch m (strong, genitive Backfisches or Backfischs, plural Backfische)

baked or fried fish, or a fish intended for baking or frying
(humorous, dated) backfisch, teenage or late-adolescent girl
- 1924, Thomas Mann, Der Zauberberg [The Magic Mountain], volume 1, Berlin: S. Fischer, page 91:
  Sie war noch auf, als ich hier ankam, und ausgelassen lustig konnte sie sein, so dalberig, recht wie ein Backfisch.
  She was still awake when I got here, and she could be wildly funny, so silly, right as a teenage girl.

Declension

Declension of Backfisch [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Backfisch	die	Backfische
genitive	eines	des	Backfisches, Backfischs	der	Backfische
dative	einem	dem	Backfisch, Backfische¹	den	Backfischen
accusative	einen	den	Backfisch	die	Backfische

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

Descendants

→ Dutch: bakvis (calque)
→ English: backfisch
→ Hungarian: bakfis
→ Swedish: backfisch