Etymologically
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praktisch

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Pronunciation

  • /ˈpʁaktɪʃ/[1]

Forms

praktisch (strong nominative masculine singular praktischer, comparative praktischer, superlative am praktischsten)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin practicus (“active”), from Ancient Greek πρακτικός (praktikós, “concerned with action, active, efficient”),[2][3][4] from πράσσω (prā́ssō, “to do, accomplish”).[2][4] Pfeifer and Wiktionary allow for the influence of French pratique (“applied, feasible, convenient”).[2][1] It belongs with Praktik, borrowed in the 15th century from the Medieval Latin feminine practica, and with Praxis.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the 16th century the adjective meant “cunning, crafty”, a sense that goes with Praktik “trick, dodge”.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Duden dates the adoption of the adjective in its modern sense to the 18th century, and Pfeifer notes that from that time it is often opposed to theoretisch.[3][2] The same contrast shaped the noun Praxis in the 18th century.[6] The senses “useful, convenient” and “good at everyday tasks” followed, and in colloquial use the adverb came to mean “virtually, as good as”.[2][4]

Dutch took the word as Dutch praktisch (recorded 1840), and Danish, Swedish and Norwegian have Danish praktisk from German.[8][1]

Timeline

  • Late 15th century – Praktik is borrowed from Medieval Latin.[5][3]
  • 16th century – praktisch “cunning, crafty”.[2][7]
  • 18th century – Adopted in the sense “relating to practice”, opposed to theoretisch.[3][2]
  • 1840 – Dutch praktisch “applicable, useful” is first recorded.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Relating to practice (Praxis) or real life rather than theory: praktische Erfahrungen;[4][1] praktischer Arzt, a general practitioner.[4][1]
  2. Actual, occurring in reality: die praktischen Folgen eines Beschlusses.[4]
  3. practical, convenient, well suited to its purpose: eine praktische Tasche.[4][1]
  4. Skilled at dealing with everyday problems, practical-minded: ein praktischer Mensch.[4]

Adverb

  1. (colloquial) Basically, virtually, as good as: Das Spiel ist praktisch gewonnen.[4]

Word family

  • praktischerweise
  • Praktiker
  • Praktik
  • Praxis
  • praktizieren
  • Praktikum
  • pragmatisch

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Pfeifer, Wolfgang, et al. (1993), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen, 2nd ed., Berlin: Akademie-Verlag; digital revised version in the DWDS, dwds.de
  3. ^ a b c d Duden. Das Herkunftswörterbuch: Etymologie der deutschen Sprache (2007), 4th ed., Duden vol. 7, Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Duden. Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache in zehn Bänden (1999), 3rd ed., Mannheim: Dudenverlag
  5. ^ a b Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 719
  6. ^ a b Kluge, Friedrich; Seebold, Elmar (2011), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, 25th ed., Berlin / Boston: De Gruyter, p. 721
  7. ^ a b Anderson, Robert R.; Goebel, Ulrich; Reichmann, Oskar, eds. (1989–), Frühneuhochdeutsches Wörterbuch, Berlin / New York: De Gruyter; FWB-online, fwb-online.de
  8. ^ a b Lehnwortportal Deutsch (2012–), Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache, Mannheim, lwp.ids-mannheim.de