das Geschlecht
gender / sex
The biological or social category of living beings, usually distinguished as male or female.
EXAMPLE
In dem Formular müssen Sie Ihr Geschlecht angeben.
You must state your gender on the form.
das Geschlecht
gender / sex
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Meanings
das Geschlecht
grammatical gender
The grammatical gender of a noun (masculine, feminine, or neuter).
EXAMPLE
Das Wort „Sonne“ hat das weibliche Geschlecht.
The word 'Sonne' has feminine gender.
das Geschlecht
lineage
A family or line of descent over several generations, often in a historical or noble context.
EXAMPLE
Er entstammt einem alten bayerischen Adelsgeschlecht.
He comes from an old Bavarian noble lineage.
Usage tips
Word structure
The word consists of the collective syllable 'Ge-' and the stem 'Schlecht', which historically meant 'kind' or 'type'. So 'Geschlecht' (gender / sex) describes a group or category, whether biological, grammatical, or familial.
EXAMPLE
Das grammatische Geschlecht eines Wortes zu lernen ist wichtig.
Learning the grammatical gender of a word is important.
Context clues
The three main meanings can be clearly distinguished by context. In connection with people, biology, or forms, it refers to biological/social gender or sex. With grammar and words, it means grammatical gender. In a historical context, it refers to a family line.
EXAMPLE
Das Wort „Mädchen“ hat das sächliche Geschlecht.
The word 'Mädchen' has neuter gender.
Typical collocations
In the historical meaning, 'Geschlecht' (lineage) is often used with verbs such as 'stammen aus' (to come from) or 'angehören' (to belong to). Typical adjectives are 'alt' (old), 'adlig' (noble), or 'berühmt' (famous).
EXAMPLE
Er gehört einem der ältesten Geschlechter der Stadt an.
He belongs to one of the oldest lineages in the city.
Compare with
Geschlecht vs Familie
family
Familie and Geschlecht can both refer to a historically well-known group of relatives. Familie is more general and can mean the relatives as a group, while Geschlecht emphasizes a line of descent spanning several generations. Geschlecht fits particularly well for a historical dynasty; Familie works for the relatives in general.
Geschlecht
Das Geschlecht der Medici prägte die Geschichte von Florenz über mehrere Generationen.
The Medici lineage shaped the history of Florence over several generations.
Familie
Die Familie Medici hatte in Florenz großen Einfluss.
The Medici family had a great deal of influence in Florence.
In real life
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