German word

Gemüt

Pronunciation

IPA/gəˈmyːt/

Meaning

  • neuter nountemperament

Example

Er hat ein ruhiges Gemüt.

He has a calm temperament.

Illustration for Gemüt (temperament)

More examples

Sie empfing uns mit aufgeschlossenem Gemüt.

She welcomed us with an open-minded disposition.

Core concept

A steady emotional disposition that can appear calm, warm, gentle, or troubled in a person's manner.

Common phrases

  • aufgeschlossenes Gemüt

    open-minded disposition

  • hitziges Gemüt

    fiery temperament

  • sensibles Gemüt

    sensitive temperament

Similar words

Charakter: A person's lasting traits and moral tendencies, shown in actions and decisions.
Temperament: A person's inborn tendency toward stronger or quicker emotional reactions.
Wesen: A person's essential nature and deepest defining qualities.
Stimmung: A person's temporary mood or emotional state.

Definition in German

Ein relativ stabiles Temperament oder die typische Art, wie jemand Gefühle erlebt und ausdrückt.

Word origin

The noun developed from older Germanic forms related to Mut and originally referred to the mind or inner disposition.

Usage tips

  • Gemüt often has a literary or character-focused tone, while Persönlichkeit is more usual for a person's overall personality.

Other meanings

  • mindnoun
  • spiritnoun

Opposites

  • Herzlosigkeitheartlessnessnoun
  • Gleichgültigkeitindifferencenoun

Related words

  • Gemütsruhetranquility of mindnoun
  • gemütlichcozyadjective

Word lists with this word