Petze

See also: petze

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛt͡sə/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Pet‧ze

Etymology 1

Back-formation from petzen, see there for more. Since the end of the 19th century.

Noun

Petze f (genitive Petze, plural Petzen)

1. (pupil slang) tattler, tattletale (of either sex)

   Synonyms: Petzer m, Petzerin f, Verpetzer

Declension

Declension of Petze [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Petze	die	Petzen
genitive	einer	der	Petze	der	Petzen
dative	einer	der	Petze	den	Petzen
accusative	eine	die	Petze	die	Petzen

Etymology 2

First attested 1520, of uncertain origin and relation (Kluge compares English bitch, French biche). Possibly borrowed from English bitch.

Alternative forms

• Betze, Bätze

Noun

Petze f (genitive Petze, plural Petzen, diminutive Petzchen n, masculine Petz)

1. (regional) she-dog; bitch (female dog) [since 15th c.]

   Synonym: Hündin

2. (obsolete) she-bear (female bear)

Declension

Declension of Petze [feminine]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	eine	die	Petze	die	Petzen
genitive	einer	der	Petze	der	Petzen
dative	einer	der	Petze	den	Petzen
accusative	eine	die	Petze	die	Petzen

References

• Friedrich Kluge (1883) “Petze”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891

Further reading

• “Petze (Denunziant, Verräter)” in Duden online
• “Petze (Hündin)” in Duden online
• “Petze” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Petze” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.