For more than 100 years the KLUGE has set the standard as dictionary with regard to the origin and history of words of the German language. The first edition was published in 1883, and since that time it has been continually updated and revised. The KLUGE traces the history of the origin and changes in meaning of approximately 13,000 German words and loanwords that entered German. The etymological dictionary is not only an invaluable aid for linguists and language historians, it is also a treasure trove for anyone interested in the etymological origins of our vocabulary.

From Aal to Zypresse, the KLUGE provides comprehensive information on the origin and changes in form and meaning of all common German words, thus creating a “biography” for each word. In addition to the dictionary, KLUGE provides a concise introduction into the terminology of historical vocabulary research and an extensive bibliography on German etymology.

The new KLUGE represents a unique source of knowledge. Furthermore, it is a reliable guide to the origins of the language we use daily, – surprising discoveries are guaranteed!

The eBookPlus offers fine grained search criteria: headword, century of first documentation, words in foreign languages, literature references and full text.

Completely in new official German orthography

Represents current status of linguistic and etymological research

Contains numerous new entries and articles

With up-to-date references to every headword