German word

zwecks

Pronunciation

IPA/tsvɛks/

Meaning

  • prepositionfor the purpose of

Example

Dokumente werden zwecks Archivierung gesammelt.

Documents are collected for the purpose of archiving.

Illustration for zwecks (for the purpose of)

More examples

Die Firma schrieb Kunden zwecks Kontaktaufnahme an.

The company wrote to customers for the purpose of making contact.

Core concept

A formal arrow pointing from an action toward the goal it is meant to serve.

Common phrases

  • zwecks Klärung

    for the purpose of clarification

  • zwecks Kontaktaufnahme

    for the purpose of making contact

  • zwecks Archivierung

    for the purpose of archiving

Similar words

für: A general preposition showing the intended recipient, beneficiary, or purpose.
um ... zu: An um-and-zu construction used to express an action's intended purpose.

Definition in German

Einen Zweck angibt und gewöhnlich den Genitiv verlangt; vorwiegend in formeller schriftlicher Sprache verwendet.

Word origin

Zwecks developed from the genitive form of the German noun Zweck, meaning purpose, and became a preposition expressing purpose.

Usage tips

  • Zwecks normally governs the genitive, as in "zwecks genauer Prüfung"; its formal written register often makes "für" more natural in everyday speech.

Related words

  • Zweckpurposenoun
  • zweckmäßigpurposefuladjective
  • Zweckmäßigkeitexpediencynoun

Word lists with this word