ergötzen

== German == === Alternative forms === ergetzen (archaic) === Etymology === From Middle High German ergetzen (“to cause to forget”), from Old High German irgezan, hence “to compensate, to reimburse”. The verb is a causative to a lost Middle High German ergëzzen which existed alongside vergëzzen, whence modern vergessen (“to forget”); the simplex verb *getzen is also lost. The spelling with ⟨ö⟩ first arises in the 16th century, but the older form ergetzen also persists until at least the early 19th century. While such rounding happened more often in modern German, this case is unusual because there is no adjacent /ʃ/, /l/, or labial. Some assume influence by unrelated Götze (“idol”) as in “something adored”. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɛʁˈɡœtsən/, [ʔɛɐ̯ˈɡœt͡sn̩] === Verb === ergötzen (weak, third-person singular present ergötzt, past tense ergötzte, past participle ergötzt, auxiliary haben) (dated, higher register, transitive) to delight, amuse, gladden Synonyms: erfreuen, erheitern, vergnügen (dated, higher register, reflexive) to cherish, to be amused (by), to gloat (over) [with an] (obsolete, transitive) to compensate [with accusative ‘someone’ and genitive ‘for something’] ==== Conjugation ==== ==== Derived terms ==== Ergötzen n (“amusement, delight”) ergötzlich Ergötzung f (“amusement, delight”) ==== Related terms ==== vergessen === Further reading === “ergötzen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache “ergötzen” in Duden online “ergötzen” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.