German word

Fledermaus

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈfleːdɐˌmaʊ̯s/

Meaning

  • feminine nounbat

Example

Im Wald fliegen viele Fledermäuse.

Many bats are flying in the forest.

Illustration for Fledermaus (bat)

More examples

Am See sahen wir gestern Abend eine Fledermaus.

Yesterday evening, we saw a bat by the lake.

Core concept

A tiny furry mammal turns elongated fingers and a thin skin membrane into wings while hunting insects after dark.

Common phrases

  • eine Fledermaus sehen

    see a bat

  • ein Schwarm Fledermäuse

    a swarm of bats

Similar words

Säugetier: A class of animals that nurse their young with milk.
Vogel: A winged, feathered animal that takes food with its beak.
Dachboden: A roof-level space in a house for keeping stored belongings.
Nacht: The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise.

Definition in German

Fledermaus ist ein kleines, meist nachtaktives Säugetier, das mit einer dünnen Hautmembran zwischen den Fingern fliegt und überwiegend Insekten frisst.

Word origin

Fledermaus developed from Middle High German vledermūs, a compound joining an old fluttering-related element with mūs, 'mouse'.

Usage tips

  • The plural Fledermäuse has both an umlaut and the ending -e, rather than the English plural pattern for bat.

Opposites

  • Tagtierdiurnal animalnoun

Related words

  • Fledermausartbat speciesnoun
  • fledermausartigbat-likeadjective

Word lists with this word