Hamsterrad

German

Hamsterrad (1)

Etymology

From Hamster (“hamster”) +‎ Rad (“wheel”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhamstɐˌʁaːt]

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːt, -at

Noun

Hamsterrad n (strong, genitive Hamsterrades or Hamsterrads, plural Hamsterräder, diminutive Hamsterrädchen n)

1. (literal) hamster wheel (circular cage for a small rodent, which rotates vertically as the animal runs at the bottom)

   Synonym: Laufrad

2. (figurative) hamster wheel, rat race (situation of hectic, repetitive activity conducted under pressure and with little sense of fulfilment or progress)
   • 2022 June 30 (last accessed), permovi-coaching.de‎^[1]:

     Von innen sieht ein Hamsterrad auch aus wie eine Karriereleiter!

     From the inside, a hamster wheel also looks like a career ladder!

Declension

Declension of Hamsterrad [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Hamsterrad	die	Hamsterräder
genitive	eines	des	Hamsterrades, Hamsterrads	der	Hamsterräder
dative	einem	dem	Hamsterrad, Hamsterrade1	den	Hamsterrädern
accusative	ein	das	Hamsterrad	die	Hamsterräder

¹Now rare, see notes.

Further reading

• “Hamsterrad” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Hamsterrad” in Duden online