German

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Etymology

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Nominalized past participle of freien in the obsolete meaning “to make free, to exempt from duty”. From the fact that the rank was originally freed from sentry duty.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ɡəˈfraɪ̯tɐ/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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Gefreiter m (adjectival, definite nominative der Gefreite, genitive (des) Gefreiten, plural Gefreite, definite plural die Gefreiten)

  1. (military) lance corporal (military rank) (male or of unspecified gender)

Declension

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Descendants

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  • Russian: ефре́йтор (jefréjtor)
    • Kazakh: ефрейтор (efreitor)

Noun

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Gefreiter f

  1. inflection of Gefreite:
    1. strong genitive/dative singular
    2. strong genitive plural

Further reading

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  • Gefreiter” in Duden online
  • Gefreiter” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache