german, germane, a.1 and n.1
(ˈdʒɜːmən, dʒəˈmeɪn, ˈdʒɜːmeɪn)
Forms: 4–5 germeyn(e, 4–6 germayn(e, 4–7 germain(e, (6 jarman, 7 jermaine), 4– german, 5– germane.
[a. OF. germain (= senses 1–2 below), ad. L. germān-us (sense 1, also ‘genuine, real’), whence Pr. german, girman, and the ns. Sp. hermano, Pg. irmão, Catal. germá, brother.]
A. adj. I. Closely akin.
1. Having the same parents; ‘own’ (brother or sister). Obs. exc. in brother-german (q.v. for some variations of sense), sister-german.
| 1340 [see brother-german]. 1382 Wyclif 1 Kings xi. 19 He ȝaf to hym a wijf, the sister germayn of his wiif Taphnes, the queen. c 1460 Towneley Myst. v. 29 Iacob, that is thyne awne germane brother. 1530 [see brother-german]. 1626 Sandys Ovid's Met. vi. 117 For him the Nymphs, and german Satyres [L. Satyri fratres] weepe. 1663 Blair Autobiog. ii. (1848) 21 A Christian friend, was my german brother..finding me in this case. 1751, 1882 [see brother-german]. |
2. That is the child of a ‘german’ brother or sister of either of (one's) parents;
= ‘first’ or ‘own’ (cousin).
Obs. exc. in
cousin-german.
| 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 912 He is mi germain cosyn. c 1380, c 1450 [see cousin-german]. 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) iv. xiii. 204 Of the whiche degrees, the broder and syster make the fyrst, the chyldren the whiche ben germayne make the seconde. 1555, etc. [see cousin-german]. |
| fig. a 1555 Ridley Treat, agst. Transubst. (1556) 51 This kind of oblation standeth vppon transubstantyacion his germayne coosyn. 1615 Crooke Body of Man 158 Hippocrates sayth that milke is German Cousen to the menstruous blood. |
† 3. Closely related; akin.
Obs.| 1470–85 Malory Arthur ii. xi, Basdemegus was his cosyn and germayn vnto kynge Uryence. 1607 Shakes. Timon iv. iii. 344 Wert thou a Leopard, thou wert Germane to the Lion. 1611 ― Wint. T. iv. iv. 802 Those that are Iermaine to him..shall all come vnder the Hang-man. |
| fig. 1657 W. Morice Coena quasi κοινὴ Def. §23. 232 For their dear brethren, and such as are germane to them in principles, are most engaged in that guilt [etc.]. |
4. Closely connected; appropriate; relevant; pertinent. Const.
to.
This sense arises from allusion to the
Shakes. passage (
quot. 1602), which is merely a
fig. example of sense 3. The
mod. form varies between
ˈgerman,
gerˈmane, and
ˈgermane; the spelling
germain has been used by some writers.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 165 The phrase would bee more Germaine [so 1623 (Fo. 1); 1603 (Qo1) has more cosin german; 1604 (Qo2) more Ierman; mod. edd. more german] to the matter: If we could carry Cannon by our sides. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxviii, Edie..did not venture to repeat a query which was so little germain to the matter. 1840 Mrs. Trollope Widow Married xxxiv, A piece of intelligence more well-timed, or more completely german to the subject of her thoughts. 1863 J. G. Holland Lett. to Joneses vii. 102 Men who have..resisted all evidences germane to the subject. 1865–6 H. Phillips Amer. Paper Curr. II. 96 The document..is not sufficiently germane to be reproduced in this place. 1870 Huxley Lay Serm. iv. (1874) 57 Those studies which are immediately germain to physic. 1877 Sparrow Serm. xxi. 274 An argument..not pertinent or germain to the subject. 1886 Illustr. Lond. News Summer No. 24/3 The illustration was hardly germane to the case. |
II. 5. Genuine; true; thorough.
Obs. or
arch.| 1382 Wyclif Phil. iv. 3, I preie thee, german felowe, helpe thou the ilke wymmen that traueliden with me in the gospel. 1542 Becon Potat. for Lent Pref., Sincere, germane and true learning. 1642 Nethersole Consid. upon Affairs 3 The miserable Distractions of this divided Kingdom, threatning a Germane desolation thereof. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §36. 575 Arius was a German or Genuine Disciple of Plato's. 1864 J. H. Newman Apol. 7 That to be a pure, german, genuine Catholic, a man must be either knave or fool. |
† B. n. One sprung from the same stock; a brother, a near relative.
Obs.| 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) i. xxiii. 23 b/2 The whyche were not oonly bredren carnalle, but also in lyf, in religyon & in vertues they were germayns. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. v. 13 Goe now, proud Miscreant, Thyselfe thy message do to german deare. 1604 Shakes. Oth. i. i. 114 You'le haue Coursers for Cozens: and Gennets for Germaines. 1721 Bailey, Germain, a Brother or Sister by the same Father and Mother. |
Hence
gerˈmanely adv., in a germane manner; pertinently.
| 1844 Blackw. Mag. LVI. 84 An embassy from the willow-wearers all—or to speak more germanely to the matter, of the Basket-bearers. |