German word

Riss

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁɪs/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncrack

Example

In der Wand sind Risse.

There are cracks in the wall.

Illustration for Riss (crack)

More examples

Nach dem Streit zeigte sich ein Riss im Vertrag.

After the dispute, a rift appeared in the contract.

Core concept

A surface split that may extend visibly without dividing the object into separate pieces.

Common phrases

  • Riss im Vertrag

    rift in the contract

  • Riss in der Wand

    crack in the wall

  • Riss im Reifen

    tear in the tire

Similar words

Sprung: A linear crack in a hard material.
Bruch: Complete damage in which parts separate from each other.
Spalt: A narrow split that forms a gap with some depth.
Ritze: A shallow, narrow line like a notch or scratch.

Definition in German

Sichtbare Linie oder Spalte in Glas, Holz oder Mauerwerk, die das Material nicht unbedingt vollständig trennt

Word origin

Riss belongs to the inherited Germanic family of reißen, whose older German forms include Old High German riz and Middle High German riss.

Usage tips

  • For a stationary location, German uses in der Wand with the dative, while movement into a wall takes in die Wand.

Other meanings

  • fissurenoun
  • splitnoun
  • tearnoun

Opposites

  • Unversehrtheitintactnessnoun
  • Integritätintegritynoun

Related words

  • Einrisstearnoun
  • rissigcrackedadjective
  • Rissbildungcrack formationnoun

Word lists with this word