"Wesen" meaning in German

See Wesen in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈveːzən/, [ˈveːzn̩] [Germany], /ˈveːsən/, [ˈveːsn̩] [Austria] Audio: LL-Q188 (deu)-Sebastian Wallroth-Wesen.wav , De-Wesen.ogg [Germany, Berlin]
Etymology: From Middle High German wësen, from Old High German wesan (verb). Etymology templates: {{inh|de|gmh|wësen}} Middle High German wësen, {{inh|de|goh|wesan}} Old High German wesan Head templates: {{de-noun|n}} Wesen n (strong, genitive Wesens, plural Wesen) Inflection templates: {{de-ndecl|n}} Forms: Wesens [genitive], Wesen [plural], strong [table-tags], Wesen [nominative, singular], Wesen [definite, nominative, plural], Wesens [genitive, singular], Wesen [definite, genitive, plural], Wesen [dative, singular], Wesen [dative, definite, plural], Wesen [accusative, singular], Wesen [accusative, definite, plural]
  1. creature, being Tags: neuter, strong
    Sense id: en-Wesen-de-noun-0~Da0otP Categories (other): German entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of German entries with incorrect language header: 25 49 25 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 31 31 37 Hyponyms (creature): Druckwesen, Fabelwesen, Feenwesen, Geisterwesen, Gemeinwesen, Hauswesen, Höhlenwesen, Hüttenwesen, interdimensionale Wesen, Lebewesen, Lehnswesen, Leidwesen, Meereswesen, Nachtwesen, Rechtswesen, Sagenwesen, Servicewesen, Staatswesen, Überwesen, Unwesen, Urwesen, Vereinswesen, Verlagswesen Disambiguation of 'creature': 100 0 0
  2. essence, substance Tags: neuter, strong
    Sense id: en-Wesen-de-noun-2rB9IILD Categories (other): German entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of German entries with incorrect language header: 25 49 25 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 31 31 37
  3. character Tags: neuter, strong
    Sense id: en-Wesen-de-noun-S87z3nbq Categories (other): German entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of German entries with incorrect language header: 25 49 25 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 33 33 33 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 31 31 37
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: Anwesen, Unwesen, wesenlos, Wesenreich, Wesensart, wesensfremd, wesensgleich, wesentlich Related terms: abwesend, anwesend, -wesen

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "Anwesen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "Unwesen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "wesenlos"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "Wesenreich"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "Wesensart"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "wesensfremd"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "wesensgleich"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "wesentlich"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "wësen",
      "wesen#Middle_High_German"
    ],
    [
      "wesan",
      "wesan#Old_High_German"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gmh",
        "3": "wësen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German wësen",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "goh",
        "3": "wesan"
      },
      "expansion": "Old High German wesan",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle High German wësen, from Old High German wesan (verb).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Wesens",
      "tags": [
        "genitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "strong",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "de-ndecl",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "nominative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "nominative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesens",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "n"
      },
      "expansion": "Wesen n (strong, genitive Wesens, plural Wesen)",
      "name": "de-noun"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "n"
      },
      "name": "de-ndecl"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "abwesend"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "anwesend"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "-wesen"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "25 49 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "German entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 31 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              32,
              37
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              25,
              34
            ]
          ],
          "english": "In the deep sea, strange creatures have been discovered.",
          "text": "In der Tiefsee hat man seltsame Wesen entdeckt.",
          "translation": "In the deep sea, strange creatures have been discovered.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "creature, being"
      ],
      "hyponyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Druckwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Fabelwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Feenwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Geisterwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Gemeinwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Hauswesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Höhlenwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Hüttenwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "interdimensionale Wesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Lebewesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Lehnswesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Leidwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Meereswesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Nachtwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Rechtswesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Sagenwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Servicewesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Staatswesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Überwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Unwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Urwesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Vereinswesen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0 0",
          "sense": "creature",
          "word": "Verlagswesen"
        }
      ],
      "id": "en-Wesen-de-noun-0~Da0otP",
      "links": [
        [
          "creature",
          "creature"
        ],
        [
          "being",
          "being"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "strong"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "25 49 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "German entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 31 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "essence, substance"
      ],
      "id": "en-Wesen-de-noun-2rB9IILD",
      "links": [
        [
          "essence",
          "essence"
        ],
        [
          "substance",
          "substance"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "strong"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "25 49 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "German entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 33 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 31 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "character"
      ],
      "id": "en-Wesen-de-noun-S87z3nbq",
      "links": [
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "strong"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈveːzən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈveːzn̩]",
      "tags": [
        "Germany"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈveːsən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈveːsn̩]",
      "tags": [
        "Austria"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q188 (deu)-Sebastian Wallroth-Wesen.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2d/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2d/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-Wesen.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/25/De-Wesen.ogg/De-Wesen.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/De-Wesen.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Germany",
        "Berlin"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "Wesen"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "German entries with incorrect language header",
    "German lemmas",
    "German neuter nouns",
    "German nouns",
    "German terms derived from Middle High German",
    "German terms derived from Old High German",
    "German terms inherited from Middle High German",
    "German terms inherited from Old High German",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "Anwesen"
    },
    {
      "word": "Unwesen"
    },
    {
      "word": "wesenlos"
    },
    {
      "word": "Wesenreich"
    },
    {
      "word": "Wesensart"
    },
    {
      "word": "wesensfremd"
    },
    {
      "word": "wesensgleich"
    },
    {
      "word": "wesentlich"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "wësen",
      "wesen#Middle_High_German"
    ],
    [
      "wesan",
      "wesan#Old_High_German"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "gmh",
        "3": "wësen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German wësen",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "goh",
        "3": "wesan"
      },
      "expansion": "Old High German wesan",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle High German wësen, from Old High German wesan (verb).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "Wesens",
      "tags": [
        "genitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "strong",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "table-tags"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "de-ndecl",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "inflection-template"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "nominative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "nominative",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesens",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "genitive",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "definite",
        "genitive",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "dative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "Wesen",
      "source": "declension",
      "tags": [
        "accusative",
        "definite",
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "n"
      },
      "expansion": "Wesen n (strong, genitive Wesens, plural Wesen)",
      "name": "de-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyponyms": [
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Druckwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Fabelwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Feenwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Geisterwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Gemeinwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Hauswesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Höhlenwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Hüttenwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "interdimensionale Wesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Lebewesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Lehnswesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Leidwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Meereswesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Nachtwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Rechtswesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Sagenwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Servicewesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Staatswesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Überwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Unwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Urwesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Vereinswesen"
    },
    {
      "sense": "creature",
      "word": "Verlagswesen"
    }
  ],
  "inflection_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "n"
      },
      "name": "de-ndecl"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "abwesend"
    },
    {
      "word": "anwesend"
    },
    {
      "word": "-wesen"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "German terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              32,
              37
            ]
          ],
          "bold_translation_offsets": [
            [
              25,
              34
            ]
          ],
          "english": "In the deep sea, strange creatures have been discovered.",
          "text": "In der Tiefsee hat man seltsame Wesen entdeckt.",
          "translation": "In the deep sea, strange creatures have been discovered.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "creature, being"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "creature",
          "creature"
        ],
        [
          "being",
          "being"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "strong"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "essence, substance"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "essence",
          "essence"
        ],
        [
          "substance",
          "substance"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "strong"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "character"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "neuter",
        "strong"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈveːzən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈveːzn̩]",
      "tags": [
        "Germany"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈveːsən/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈveːsn̩]",
      "tags": [
        "Austria"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q188 (deu)-Sebastian Wallroth-Wesen.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2d/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2d/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav/LL-Q188_%28deu%29-Sebastian_Wallroth-Wesen.wav.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-Wesen.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/25/De-Wesen.ogg/De-Wesen.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/De-Wesen.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Germany",
        "Berlin"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "Wesen"
}

Download raw JSONL data for Wesen meaning in German (4.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable German dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-09-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (1a05e46 and e3d6d4e). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.