Schlucht

German

Etymology

There are two etymological paths whose accuracy and possible interrelation are not conclusively established.

• Schlucht is most readily explained as a Middle Low German form of the archaic High German equivalent Schluft, with the Low German development of -ft- → -cht- (cf. Nichte). Schluft pertains to the verb schliefen (“to slip, to move through”). This etymology is favoured by most authorities, although they seem to be unable to find attestations for the Middle Low German word.
• There is an Upper German attestation of Middle High German wazzersluht or possibly -slůht (“water-filled ditch”), which is in line with similar words in modern Upper German dialects. Some of these words also mean “cut-off branch” and may pertain to schlagen (“to hew”). The sense of “ditch” might be derived from “branch”.

Compare Danish slug (“sluice”), Old Norse slok (“gully, channel”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃlʊχt/, /ʃlʊxt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʊχt, -ʊxt

Noun

Schlucht f (genitive Schlucht, plural Schluchten or (poetic) Schlüchte)

1. canyon, chasm, gorge, ravine

Declension

Declension of Schlucht [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Schlucht	die	Schluchten, Schlüchte1
genitive	einer	der	Schlucht	der	Schluchten, Schlüchte1
dative	einer	der	Schlucht	den	Schluchten, Schlüchten1
accusative	eine	die	Schlucht	die	Schluchten, Schlüchte1

¹Poetic.

Derived terms

• schluchtartig
• Schluchtenscheißer

Further reading

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

Plautdietsch

Noun

Schlucht f (plural Schluchten)

1. canyon, gorge, ravine