Niveau

See also: niveau

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French niveau. Doublet of Level and Libelle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /niˈvoː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -oː

Noun

Niveau n (strong, genitive Niveaus, plural Niveaus)

1. (engineering, geography) level (the physical elevation at which something is located or constructed)

   Synonym: Höhe

2. level (the approximate magnitude of a property on a scale)

   Synonym: Level

   • 2010, Der Spiegel‎^[1], number 34/2010, page 87:

     Die Pharmakonzerne müssen ihre Preise nun drei Jahre lang auf dem Niveau vom Sommer 2009 einfrieren.

     The pharmaceutical companies now have to freeze their prices for three years at the level of summer 2009.

   1. the degree to which something is sophisticated, dignified or intellectual (of conversations, debates, etc.)
      • 2015 September 18, Frank Lübberding, “TV-Kritik „Maybrit Illner“: Fragen an Bodo Ramelow”, in FAZ.net‎^[2], archived from the original on 2015-10-12:

        Sie äußert sich zu einer zentralen Zukunftsfrage, allerdings ohne jede Sachkenntnis. Man kann darin das Niveau der Debatte erkennen.

        She weighs in on a central issue regarding the future, but without any understanding of the matter. This is indicative of the level of debate on show for this discussion.

   2. the level of performance (e.g. of an athlete)

      Die Mannschaft spielte eine starke erste Halbzeit, konnte das Niveau aber nicht halten.

      The team played a strong first half, but wasn't able to keep up the level of play.

3. level (the context or type of environment within which an interaction, evaulation or explanation is framed)

   Synonyms: Ebene, Level

   • 1988 October 9, “»Es bleibt eine große Ikone der Passion«”, in Der Spiegel‎^[3], number 41/1988, archived from the original on 2025-02-08:

     Wenn es ein Fälscher war, hätte er Leonardo da Vinci in den Schatten stellen müssen, auf technischem Niveau.

     If someone forged it, they would have to eclipse Leonardo da Vinci, on a technical level.

Declension

Declension of Niveau [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Niveau	die	Niveaus
genitive	eines	des	Niveaus	der	Niveaus
dative	einem	dem	Niveau	den	Niveaus
accusative	ein	das	Niveau	die	Niveaus

Derived terms

• niveaulos
• niveauvoll
• niveaugleich

Further reading

• “Niveau” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Niveau” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Niveau” in Duden online
• Niveau on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de