German word

geraum

Pronunciation

IPA/gəˈʁaʊ̯m/

Meaning

  • adjectivelong

Example

Vor geraumer Zeit habe ich ihn gesehen.

I saw him quite a while ago.

Illustration for geraum (long)

More examples

Vor geraumer Zeit bin ich nach Berlin gereist.

Quite some time ago, I traveled to Berlin.

Core concept

A sizeable section of the past viewed as a span rather than a dated moment.

Common phrases

  • vor geraumer Zeit

    quite some time ago

Similar words

früher: Indicating an earlier point in time or an earlier period.
vergangen: Indicating a period or event that has gone by.
kürzlich: Indicating a point or event from only a short time ago.
ehemalig: Indicating a status or position held in the past.

Definition in German

Eine längere, nicht genau bestimmte Zeitspanne in der Vergangenheit bezeichnet und oft in der Wendung 'vor geraumer Zeit' vorkommt.

Word origin

The adjective is an inherited Germanic formation related to Raum and shifted from physical spaciousness to the idea of an ample duration.

Usage tips

  • Geraum usually occurs in vor geraumer Zeit and sounds more formal than the everyday phrase vor einiger Zeit.

Opposites

Related words

  • geräumigroomyadjective
  • Geräumigkeitroominessnoun

Word lists with this word