Dirne

See also: dirne

German

Etymology

From Middle High German dierne (“girl; servant”), from Old High German diorna, thiorna (“girl; servant”), from Proto-Germanic *þewernǭ, *þewernō (“maid, servant girl”), from Proto-Indo-European *tekw- (“to run, flow”). The sense “prostitute” developed from the use for a “girl from the lower classes”. It is first attested in the 15th century.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈdɪrnə/, [ˈdɪʁnə], [ˈdɪɐ̯nə], [ˈdɪrnə]
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Dirne f (genitive Dirne, plural Dirnen)

  1. (derogatory, dated, also biblical) whore (prostitute or sexually unreserved woman)
    Synonyms: Buhldirne, Hure, Lustdirne, Nutte
    Hyponym: Straßendirne
  2. (archaic or dialectal) girl; lass

Usage notes
  • The older sense “girl” is now chiefly restricted to dialectal cognate forms. Northern German Deern and Bavarian Dirndl are widely understood, though not commonly used outside of their traditional areas.

Declension
Declension of Dirne
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative eine die Dirne die Dirnen
genitive einer der Dirne der Dirnen
dative einer der Dirne den Dirnen
accusative eine die Dirne die Dirnen

Further reading
  • Dirne in Duden online
  • “Dirne” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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