Armee

See also: armee and armée

German

Etymology

Early 16th century, borrowed from Middle French armee. Compare Modern French armée, English army.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arˈmeː/, [aʁˈmeː], [a(ɐ̯)ˈmeː]
  • Audio (Austria):(file)
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -eː

Noun

Armee f (genitive Armee, plural Armeen)

  1. army (large tactical contingent consisting of several divisions)
    der Untergang der 6. Armee in Stalingrad
    the downfall of the 6th Army in Stalingrad
  2. military, a country’s armed forces as a whole; particularly of countries where a cognate term is commonly used in this sense, e.g. France
    Synonyms: Militär, Streitkräfte
  3. (chiefly archaic) army, ground forces; now only of countries where a cognate term is commonly used in this sense, e.g. the U.S.
    Synonyms: Heer, Landstreitkräfte

Usage notes

  • As the armed forces of East Germany were called Nationale Volksarmee, one may still hear phrases such as er ist bei der Armee (he’s in the military), which are not at all idiomatic in former West Germany. The usual expression runs er ist bei der Bundeswehr or, informally, beim Bund.

Declension

Hyponyms

  • Invasionsarmee (invading army)
  • Rebellenarmee (rebel army)

Descendants

  • Estonian: armee

Further reading

  • Armee” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • Armee” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • Armee” in Duden online
  • Armee on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia de

Plautdietsch

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arme/

Noun

Armee f (plural Armeeen)

  1. army