Vieh
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Etymology
From Middle High German vihe, from Old High German fihu, Proto-Germanic *fehu, from Proto-Indo-European *péḱu (“livestock, domestic animals”). Cognate to Low German Veeh, Dutch vee, English fee, Danish fæ.
Pronunciation
Noun
Vieh n (strong, genitive Viehes or Viehs, no plural)
- (uncountable, collective) livestock; farm animals (animals kept for their milk, meat, skin, etc.)
- Das Vieh grast auf der Weide. ― The animals are grazing on the pasture.
- (countable, singulative) Alternative form of Viech (“animal, beast”)
- Wenn so ein Vieh vor einem steht, kommt man sich ziemlich klein und schwach vor.
- You feel pretty small and weak when such a beast is standing right in front of you.
- (countable, figurative, derogatory) beast; swine (person behaving in a boorish or inhumane way)
- Du Vieh! Wie kannst du nur! ― You beast! How dare you!
Usage notes
- Vieh is per se a collective noun (“livestock”), but is also sometimes used as a singulative (“animal”). For the latter case, however, there is no corresponding plural. Instead, a construction with Stück can be used: ein, zwei, drei Stück Vieh (“one, two, three head[s] of livestock”).
- In Upper German areas, the variant Viech is also used as a singulative of Vieh, whence the plural Viecher (“animals”). In the north, however, Viech is not used in this neutral way but only with a pejorative sense (“beast, pest”).
- In the figurative sense of “boorish, inhumane person”, an ad-hoc plural Viehe may be formed, but this is rare and nonstandard.
Declension
Declension of Vieh [sg-only, neuter, strong]
1Now rare, see notes.
Hyponyms
Derived terms
Related terms
- Viehfutter
- Viehhalter
- Viehhändler
- Viehherde
- Viehmarkt
- Viehseuche
- Viehstall
- Viehstock
- Viehtransport
- Viehtreiber
- Viehtriebweg
- Viehwagen
- Viehweide
- Viehwirtschaft
- Viehzeug
- Viehzucht
- Viehzüchter
See also
Further reading
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Alternative forms
- vie, vieë (Veldeke spelling)
- Vië (Eupen spelling)
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *fehu, from Proto-Germanic *fehu, from Proto-Indo-European *péḱu.
Pronunciation
Noun
Vieh n (no plural) (German-based spelling)
- (uncountable, collective, loosely) livestock; farm animals (animals kept for their milk, meat, skin, etc.)
- (uncountable, collective, strictly) cattle
Etymology
From Middle High German vihe, from Old High German fihu, Proto-West Germanic *fehu, from Proto-Germanic *fehu, from Proto-Indo-European *peḱu-. Compare German Vieh.
Pronunciation
Noun
Vieh n
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