germane
pronunciation
How to pronounce germane in British English:
UK [dʒɜ:ˈmeɪn]
How to pronounce germane in American English:
US [dʒɜrˈmeɪn]
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- Adjective:
- having close kinship and appropriateness
Word Origin
- germane
- germane: [19] Germane is an alteration of german ‘closely related’ [14], which now survives only in the rather archaic expression cousin-german. This came via Old French germain from Latin germānus, which meant ‘of the same race’ (it was a derivative of germen ‘sprout, offspring’, from which English gets germ). The use of germane for ‘relevant’ as opposed to simply ‘related’ seems to have been inspired by Hamlet’s comment that a remark of Osric’s would have been ‘more german to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our sides’. (The nationality term German [16], incidentally, is probably of Celtic origin, and has no etymological connection with germane.)=> germ
- germane (adj.)
- mid-14c., "having the same parents," same as german (adj.) but directly from Latin germanus instead of via French (compare urbane/urban). Main modern sense of "closely connected, relevant" (c. 1600) derives from use in "Hamlet" Act V, Scene ii: "The phrase would bee more Germaine to the matter: If we could carry Cannon by our sides," which is a figurative use of the word in the now-obsolete loosened sense of "closely related, akin" (late 15c.) in reference to things, not persons.
Example
- 1. The fact is not germane to this issue .
- 2. Certain cultural behaviors are often germane to certain groups .
- 3. I 'd prefer to only be asked legal and germane questions .
- 4. I don 't think that question is really germane .
- 5. Remarks that are germane to the discussion .