ganz

Etymology

From Middle High German ganz, from Old High German ganz (“whole, sound, healthy, complete, fullstanding”), from Proto-Germanic *gantaz (“whole, sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“to flourish, be full, swell, abound”). Compare Dutch gans (borrowed from Old High German).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡan(t)s/, [ɡants], [ɡans]

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ants
• Homophone: Gans (except possibly in very careful speech)

Adjective

ganz (not comparable)

1. entire, whole, complete
   • 2010, Der Spiegel, issue 33/2010, page 83:

     Seit Ende Juli hat der Monsunregen die Flüsse in weiten Teilen Pakistans über die Ufer treten lassen und ganze Provinzen in Seen verwandelt

     Since end of July the monsoon rain has made the rivers overflow their banks in large parts of Pakistan and turned whole provinces into lakes.

2. (colloquial) whole, intact
3. (in certain combinations) true, real

   ein ganzer Kerl — “a true man” (implying masculinity, but also uprightness)

4. (mathematics) integer (of a number)

Adverb

ganz

1. quite, rather
2. very
   • 1918, Elisabeth von Heyking, Aus dem Lande der Ostseeritter, in Zwei Erzählungen, Phillipp Reclam jun., page 73:

     Das Herrenhaus in Burkahnen war ein ganz altes Gebäude, […]

     The manor house in Burkahnen was a very old building, […]

3. wholly, entirely, all
   • 1903, Fanny zu Reventlow, Ellen Olestjerne, in Franziska Gräfin zu Reventlow: Gesammelte Werke, Albert Langen, page 580:

     Die Kirche war ganz leer, die Sonne leuchtete durch die Bogenfenster, und droben spielte jemand auf der Orgel.

     The church was entirely empty, the sun shone through the arched windows and up there someone played the organ.

Further reading

• ganz in Duden online

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɑnts/
• Rhymes: -ɑnts

Adjective

ganz (masculine ganzen, neuter ganzt, not comparable)

1. entire, whole

Adverb

ganz

1. wholly, entirely, totally
2. very