Brustwarze
[ˈbʁʊstˌvaʁt͡sə]feminine
The English word "nipple" is translated into German as Brustwarze or Nippel.
Meaning: projection of mammary gland (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Brustwarze | [ˈbʁʊstˌvaʁt͡sə] (narrow) | feminine |
| Nippel | /ˈnɪpl̩/ | masculine |
This term refers to the projection of a mammary gland. In German, the choice of word depends on whether you are referring to human anatomy or an object.
Which one should you use?
Brustwarze is the standard anatomical term used for the nipple of a breast. In contrast, Nippel is more colloquial when referring to anatomy and it is more commonly used to refer to the nipple of a baby bottle or a mechanical part.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the anatomical term Brustwarze is Brustwarzen. For the colloquial or object-based term Nippel, the plural remains Nippel.
Did you know?
- The anatomical term Brustwarze contains the word Warze, which is the German word for a 'wart'.
- Unlike the English 'nipple', which is used for both people and bottles, using Brustwarze for a baby bottle would be considered a linguistic error.
- While Brustwarze is purely medical, using the word Nippel in a doctor's office might sound strangely casual or even slightly immature.
Examples in context
- Die Brustwarze bereitet manchen Müttern beim Stillen Schmerzen.The nipple can cause pain for some mothers while breastfeeding.
- Die Brustwarze ist sehr empfindlich.The nipple is very sensitive.
- Er hat eine kleine Wunde an der Brustwarze.He has a small wound on the nipple.
- Die Brustwarze kann durch Kälte hart werden.The nipple can become hard due to the cold.
Example conversation
A doctor's office during a physical examination.
- JuliaTut die Brustwarze bei der Berührung weh?Does the nipple hurt when touched?
- FelixJa, Julia, es schmerzt ein wenig.Yes, Julia, it hurts a little.
- JuliaIch werde die Brustwarze jetzt genauer untersuchen.I will examine the nipple more closely now.
- FelixVielen Dank für die Hilfe.Thank you very much for the help.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nipple” translations and entries Brustwarze, Nippel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Brustwarze, Nippel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
