Schöffe

German

Alternative forms

• Schöppe, Schöpfe (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle High German scheffe, scheffene, from Old High German sceffino, ultimately from the root of schaffen (“to produce, create”).

Cognate with Dutch schepen and borrowed Latin scabinus (whence French échevin). The alternative forms Schöppe and Schöpfe, which were widely used in writing until the 19th century, are due to influence by the verb schöpfen (Central German schöppen).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃœfə/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Schöf‧fe
• Rhymes: -œfə

Noun

Schöffe m (weak, genitive Schöffen, plural Schöffen, feminine Schöffin)

1. (Germany, Austria, and generally, law) a lay judge, an assistant judge

   Synonyms: Gerichtsschöffe, Laienrichter

2. (Belgium, Luxembourg) a deputy mayor (for French échevin)

Usage notes

• See Wikipedia for the system of lay judges in Germany.

Declension

Declension of Schöffe [masculine, weak]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Schöffe	die	Schöffen
genitive	eines	des	Schöffen	der	Schöffen
dative	einem	dem	Schöffen	den	Schöffen
accusative	einen	den	Schöffen	die	Schöffen

Hyponyms

• Hauptschöffe, Ersatzschöffe, Ergänzungsschöffe

Related terms

• Schöffengericht
• Schöffenmeister, Schöppenmeister

Further reading

• “Schöffe” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Schöffe” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.
• “Schöffe” in Duden online