Gesundheit: meaning, definitions and examples
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gesundheit
[ ɡəˈzʊnˌhaɪt ]
health wishes
The term 'gesundheit' is a German word that translates to 'health'. It is commonly used in English-speaking countries as a response to someone who has sneezed, conveying a wish for their good health. The use of this term is informal and often denotes a sense of camaraderie among people. It reflects a cultural practice where sneezing is considered a moment requiring acknowledgment of the individual's well-being.
Examples of usage
- Person A sneezes, and Person B responds, 'Gesundheit!'
- After her sneeze in the meeting, everyone said, 'Gesundheit!'
- He sneezed loudly during the movie, prompting laughter and 'Gesundheit!' from his friends.
Translations
Translations of the word "gesundheit" in other languages:
🇵🇹 saúde
🇮🇳 स्वास्थ्य
🇩🇪 Gesundheit
🇮🇩 kesehatan
🇺🇦 здоров'я
🇵🇱 zdrowie
🇯🇵 健康 (けんこう)
🇫🇷 santé
🇪🇸 salud
🇹🇷 sağlık
🇰🇷 건강 (geongang)
🇸🇦 صحة (siḥḥa)
🇨🇿 zdraví
🇸🇰 zdravie
🇨🇳 健康 (jiànkāng)
🇸🇮 zdravje
🇮🇸 heilsa
🇰🇿 денсаулық
🇬🇪 ჯანმრთელობა
🇦🇿 sağlamlıq
🇲🇽 salud
Etymology
The word 'gesundheit' comes from the German language, where 'gesund' means 'healthy' and 'heit' is a suffix that denotes a state or condition. The phrase itself has roots in traditions where health is a valued social virtue, especially during sneeze occurrences. The practice of saying 'gesundheit' likely surged in popularity among German immigrants to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries, who brought this custom along with other cultural elements. Over time, it integrated into the vernacular of English speakers, especially those in areas with significant German influence. Today, 'gesundheit' frequently appears in everyday conversation in various informal settings, symbolizing a light-hearted acknowledgment of a sneeze, along with a caring sentiment wished to the sneezer.
Word Frequency Rank
With rank #43,313, this word is among the least frequently used in common English. Understanding it can be beneficial for comprehensive language mastery, but it's not essential for most learners.