Nachfolger German · revision 36276

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=late Old High German}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈnaːxˌfɔlɡɐ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Nachfolger''' ''m'' (genitive Nachfolgers, plural Nachfolger, feminine Nachfolgerin)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|nāchvolgære]], late [[m|goh|nahvolgari]], an agent noun formed [[af|de|nachfolgen|-er]], “one who follows after”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|13, 53)^(Köbler MHD)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Paul records late Old High German ''nahvolgari''.^(Paul 2002) In Middle High German, from the ''Litanei'' (after 1150) on, ''nāchvolgære'' meant a successor, a follower and also a pursuer.^(Köbler MHD)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Early New High German the word was much used in religious language for a person who follows the teaching and life of Christ, and also for the adherent of a teacher or doctrine and for a successor in an office or a legal position.^(FWB) A vocabulary of 1482 still has it for a retainer or follower, other glossaries for a pursuer, and Grimmelshausen used it for the men riding behind him.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|13, 53)

+

+ Adelung (1793) knows it chiefly for one who follows another in a dignity, office or right, the opposite of [[Vorgänger]], with Upper German ''Nachfahrer'' beside it, and only marginally for the follower of a doctrine.^(Adelung 1793) Today it is also used of a product that replaces an older one.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late Old High German – ''nahvolgari'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * After 1150 – Middle High German ''nāchvolgære'' appears in the ''Litanei''.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 1482 – A German–Latin vocabulary gives the sense “follower, retainer”.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1793 – Adelung records the senses “successor” and “adherent”.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|successor]]: a person who takes over another's post, office or position: ''Die Bürgermeisterin stellte ihren Nachfolger vor.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A product that replaces an earlier one.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' The next higher number in a set, especially of the whole numbers.^(Wiktionary DE)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Nachfolgerin]]

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+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Nachfolge]]

+ * [[nachfolgen]]

+ * [[folgen]]

+ * [[Vorgänger]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}