Brandschatzung

German

Etymology

Brandschatz +‎ -ung. 16th-century recharacterization of the earlier (Middle High German) synonym Brandschatz.

The original meaning of the term is "exaction of tribute under the threat of pillaging". The shift to the now-prevalent meaning of "looting, pillaging" takes place in the 20th century, apparently by misunderstanding, but this usage is now sanctioned by the Duden, which glosses the term as Plünderung (“pillage”).

Pronunciation

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Noun

Brandschatzung f (genitive Brandschatzung, plural Brandschatzungen)

1. the exaction of tribute from a city under the threat of setting fire to it.

   Synonym: Brandschatz m

2. looting and pillaging

   Synonym: Plünderung f

Declension

Declension of Brandschatzung [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Brandschatzung	die	Brandschatzungen
genitive	einer	der	Brandschatzung	der	Brandschatzungen
dative	einer	der	Brandschatzung	den	Brandschatzungen
accusative	eine	die	Brandschatzung	die	Brandschatzungen

Further reading

• “Brandschatzung” in Duden online