germane

germane
\ \ [19] Germane is an alteration of germanclosely related’ [14], which now survives only in the rather archaic expression cousin-german. This came via Old French germain from Latin germānus, which meant ‘of the same race’ (it was a derivative of germensprout, offspring’, from which English gets germ). The use of germane for ‘relevant’ as opposed to simply ‘related’ seems to have been inspired by Hamlet’s comment that a remark of Osric’s would have been ‘more german to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our sides’. (The nationality term German [16], incidentally, is probably of Celtic origin, and has no etymological connection with germane.)
\ \ Cf.GERM

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Germane — Général Nom IUPAC tétrahydrure de germanium Synonymes Hydrure de ger …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Germane — Ger*mane , a. [See {German} akin, nearly related.] Literally, near akin; hence, closely allied; appropriate or fitting; relevant. [1913 Webster] The phrase would be more germane to the matter. Shak. [1913 Webster] [An amendment] must be germane.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • germane — I adjective accordant, ad fin is, affinitive, allied, applicable, applying to, apposite, appropriate, appurtenant, apropos, apt, associated, bearing upon, belonging to, cognate, concerning, congruent, congruous, connected, correlated,… …   Law dictionary

  • germane — mid 14c., having the same parents, derived from GERMAN (Cf. german) (1); Cf. human/humane, urban/urbane. Main modern sense of closely connected, relevant (c.1600) derives from use in Hamlet Act V, Scene ii: The phrase would bee more Germaine to… …   Etymology dictionary

  • germane — *relevant, pertinent, material, apposite, applicable, apropos Analogous words: appropriate, fitting, apt, happy, felicitous (see FIT): akin, analogous, comparable, parallel (see LIKE): *related, allied, cognate, kindred Antonyms: foreign… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • germane — [adj] appropriate ad rem, akin, allied, applicable, applicative, applicatory, apposite, apropos, apt, cognate, connected, fitting, kindred, kosher*, legit*, material, on target*, on the button*, on the nose*, pertinent, proper, related, relating …   New thesaurus

  • germane — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ relevant to a subject under consideration. ORIGIN Latin germanus genuine, of the same parents …   English terms dictionary

  • germane — [jər mān′] adj. [var. of GERMAN] 1. truly relevant; pertinent; to the point 2. Obs. akin; german SYN. RELEVANT …   English World dictionary

  • Germane — Germanium tetrahydride …   Wikipedia

  • germane — adj. germane to (germane to the discussion) * * * [dʒɜː meɪn] germane to (germane to the discussion) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • germane — ger|mane [dʒə:ˈmeın US dʒə:r ] adj formal [Date: 1600 1700; : Latin; Origin: germanus having the same parents , from germen; GERM] an idea, remark etc that is germane to something is related to it in an important and suitable way = ↑relevant… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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