Brosame

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle High German brosem, broseme or brosme, from Old High German brōsama or brōsma. There is a connection to Old English brosnian (“to fall apart, to foul”). Therefore, originally, Brosame meant broken off piece.[1] Not related to Samen (“seed”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈbʀoːzaˑmə/
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: Bro‧sa‧me

Noun

Brosame f (genitive Brosame, plural Brosamen)

  1. (dated or regional, southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland) crumb
    Für ihn blieben nur die Brosamen übrig.
    Only the crumbs were left for him.
    • 1994, Ursula Assaf-Nowak, Der Vorbote, Gleichnisse und Gedichte, translation of Khalil Gibran, The Forerunner, 1920, →ISBN
      Seine Liebe ist die eines Anspruchslosen, der sich mit Brosamen zufriedengibt, selbst wenn er an einer königlichen Tafel sitzt.
      It is the love of a needy one, who picks crumbs even as he sits at kingly feasts.

Usage notes
  • In contemporary German the derivative Brösel (an old diminutive) is more common (but also regionally restricted).

Synonyms

Derived terms

See also

References
  1. Christoph Gutknecht, Pustekuchen! Lauter kulinarische Wortgeschichten, Verlag C.H.Beck oHG, München 2002, →ISBN, “Brosamen”, p. 50

Further reading
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