das Revers
lapel
The folded-back, upper front part of a suit jacket, coat, or jacket.
EXAMPLE
Er trug eine kleine Blume am Revers seines Anzugs.
He wore a small flower on the lapel of his suit.
das Revers
lapel / written undertaking
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
das Revers
written undertaking
A formal written declaration of obligation or promissory note, especially in diplomatic or legal contexts. This meaning is rare.
EXAMPLE
Der Diplomat musste einen Revers unterzeichnen, in dem er sich zur Einhaltung der Bedingungen verpflichtete.
The diplomat had to sign a written undertaking in which he committed himself to complying with the conditions.
Usage tips
Origin of the word
'Revers' is a loanword from French. This explains the spelling and pronunciation, which are unusual for German words.
EXAMPLE
Das Revers dieses Mantels ist aus Samt gefertigt.
The lapel of this coat is made of velvet.
Context clue
You can easily recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about clothing such as 'Sakko' (suit jacket), 'Anzug' (suit), or 'Mantel' (coat), it means the lapel. If the topic is legal or diplomatic documents and verbs like 'unterschreiben' (to sign), the rare meaning of a written undertaking is meant.
EXAMPLE
Er steckte sich eine Nelke ans Revers.
He pinned a carnation to his lapel.
Typical collocations
In its main meaning, 'Revers' (lapel) is often used with the preposition 'an' or 'am' (an dem). Typical adjectives are 'breit' (wide) or 'schmal' (narrow).
EXAMPLE
Die Mode der 70er Jahre war bekannt für breite Revers.
The fashion of the 1970s was known for wide lapels.
Register and style
The meaning as a written obligation is very rare and belongs to elevated official or legal language. In normal everyday life, you will hardly ever encounter this meaning.
EXAMPLE
In dem historischen Dokument fand sich ein Revers des Adeligen.
A written undertaking by the nobleman was found in the historical document.
Compare with
Revers vs Kragen
collar
Der Kragen and das Revers both belong to the upper part of a jacket or coat and lie around the neck or across the chest. The Kragen surrounds or frames the neck, while the Revers is the folded-back front part below it. So use Kragen for the area around the neck and Revers for the folded-over front section.
Revers
An der Vorderseite des Sakkos war das Revers sauber umgeschlagen.
The lapel on the front of the suit jacket was neatly folded back.
Kragen
Für den kalten Morgen stellte sie den Kragen ihrer Jacke hoch.
Because of the cold morning, she turned up the collar of her jacket.
In real life
Loading video examples...