schlaff

German

Etymology

From Middle High German slaf, from Old High German slaf, from Proto-Germanic *slap-, perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂b- (“to be weak, limp, languid”), see also Latin labō (“fluctuate, waver”).[1]

The same word of Low German origin is schlapp, a synonym in modern standard German.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ʃlaf/
  • Audio(file)

Adjective

schlaff (strong nominative masculine singular schlaffer, comparative schlaffer, superlative am schlaffsten)

  1. (of things) slack, limp
  2. (of people) weak, weary

Usage notes

Schlaff is the more common form referring to things; schlapp is the more common form referring to people.

Declension

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Derived terms
  • Schlaffheit

References
  1. van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “slap”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute

Further reading
  • “schlaff” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • “schlaff” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • “schlaff” in Duden online
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