Nesthäkchen

German

Etymology

From earlier Nesthöckelchen, from Nesthocker, from Nest (nest) + hocken (to sit, squat) + -er.[1] In the contemporary form reanalysable as Nest + Häkchen (little hook).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈnɛstˌhɛːkçən/, [ˈnɛstˌhɛːk.çən], [-ˌheːk-], [-çɪn], [-çn̩]
  • (file)

Noun

Nesthäkchen n (strong, genitive Nesthäkchens, plural Nesthäkchen)

  1. (informal) the lastborn of a family’s children, especially when pampered (as goes the cliché)
    Synonyms: Jüngster, (more neutral) Letztgeborener
    • 1913, Else Ury, chapter 1, in Nesthäkchen und ihre Puppen, volume 1, Meidinger's Jugendschriften Verlag G.m.b.H.:
      Habt ihr schon mal unser Nesthäkchen gesehen? Es heißt Annemarie, Vater und Mutti aber rufen es meistens »Lotte«. Ein lustiges Stubsnäschen hat unser Nesthäkchen und zwei winzige Blondzöpfchen mit großen, hellblauen Schleifen.
      Have you seen the baby of the family yet? Her name is Annemarie, but most of the time Father and Mama call her "Lotte". Our youngest has a funny stubby nose and two tiny blonde pigtails with big light blue ribbons.

Declension

References

  1. Nesthäkchen” in Duden online

Further reading

  • Nesthäkchen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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