schlagfertig

Mid-17th century, equivalent to Schlag (“hit, blow”) +‎ fertig (“ready, capable”). Probably a calque of Dutch slagvaardig. For this speak the slightly earlier attestion (1625), the invariably nautical context of the earliest German attestations, and the fact that Dutch slag means “battle”. (The proper German form would thus be schlachtfertig, which makes more sense semantically and is indeed attested.)

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃlaːkˌfɛʁtɪç/ (standard)

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• IPA^(key): /ˈʃla(ː)xˌfɛʁtɪç/ (northern and central Germany, now chiefly colloquial)
• IPA^(key): /ˈʃlaːkˌfɛʁtɪk/ (common in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland)

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• Hyphenation: schlag‧fer‧tig

schlagfertig (strong nominative masculine singular schlagfertiger, comparative schlagfertiger, superlative am schlagfertigsten)

1. (military) ready and capable to strike, attack

   Dem Generalstab ist es gelungen, in kürzester Zeit eine schlagfertige Truppe aufzustellen.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. (figurative) quick-witted, good at repartee
3. (hence of an answer) prompt and witty

   Auf diese Spitze fiel mir leider keine schlagfertige Antwort ein.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

• Schlagfertigkeit

• “schlagfertig” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “schlagfertig” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon