Hauptmann

German

Etymology

From Middle High German houbetman (“leader; captain, head of a group”), from Old High German houbitman, from Proto-West Germanic *haubidamann. Cognate with Low German Hööftmann, Dutch hoofdman, and Old English hēafodmann. Equivalent to haupt- (“chief, head”) +‎ Mann (“man”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈhaʊp(t)ˌman/
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Hauptmann m (strong, genitive Hauptmannes or Hauptmanns, plural Hauptleute or Hauptmänner, feminine Hauptfrau or Hauptmännin)

  1. (military) captain (male [also female] or of unspecified sex; cf. Herr / Frau Hauptmann)

Usage notes

The normal plural is Hauptleute, while the plural Hauptmänner is rarely used, at least in contemporary military terminology.

Declension
Declension of Hauptmann [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Hauptmann die Hauptleute, Hauptmänner
genitive eines des Hauptmannes, Hauptmanns der Hauptleute, Hauptmänner
dative einem dem Hauptmann, Hauptmanne1 den Hauptleuten, Hauptmännern
accusative einen den Hauptmann die Hauptleute, Hauptmänner

1Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms
  • Amtshauptmann
  • Bezirkshauptmann
  • Deichhauptmann
  • Feuerwehrhauptmann
  • Hauptmännin
  • Landeshauptmann
  • Oberstschlosshauptmann
  • Räuberhauptmann
  • Römerhauptmann
  • Stabshauptmann
  • Stadthauptmann

Descendants
  • → Dutch: hopman
  • → Lower Sorbian: hawptman
  • → Pennsylvania German: Hauptman, Haaptman
  • → Polish: hetman

Further reading
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