Maßnahme

Pronunciation

• /ˈmaːsnaːmə/^[1]

Forms

Maßnahme f (genitive Maßnahme, plural Maßnahmen)^[1] In Switzerland it is written Massnahme.^[1]

Etymology

It is formed in the 19th century from German Maß + nehmen, as an abstract noun to the phrase “to take measure”, like the older Maßnehmung (18th century).^[2][3][4][1] Kluge takes the first part here in the sense “rule, regulation”, as in maßgebend; the noun itself comes from messen.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The related Maßregel “guideline, rule” dates from the 18th century, and Maßstab from the 15th, used for a standard of judgement from the 17th.^[3] The Duden glosses Maßnahme as “regulation, provision”.^[5]

Timeline

• 18th century – Maßnehmung and Maßregel.^[3]
• 19th century – Maßnahme.^[2][3][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A measure, an action or rule meant to bring about a particular result: Die Stadt plant neue Maßnahmen gegen den Lärm.^[6][1]
2. A sanction or step taken against someone.^[1]

Related words

• Maß
• messen
• nehmen
• Maßregel
• Maßstab

Usage notes

The usual verbs with it are Maßnahmen ergreifen, treffen and einleiten.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 606
3. ^ a b c d e Pfeifer, Wolfgang, et al. (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, 2nd ed., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag; digital revised version in the DWDS, dwds.de
4. ^ Wiktionary, das freie Wörterbuch (German Wiktionary), de.wiktionary.org
5. ^ a b Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2020), 6th ed., Duden vol. 7, Berlin: Dudenverlag, p. 538
6. ^ a b Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag