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die Uhr

noun · /uːr/ ·
Etymology

From late Middle High German ūre, from Middle Low German ûre (“hour”), from Middle Dutch ure, from Old Dutch *ūra, from Old French houre, from Latin hōra, from Ancient Greek ὥρα (hṓra), from Proto-Indo-European *yeh₁- (“year, season”). The word was borrowed in the late 14th century when the diphthongization of -ū- into -ou-, -au- was already complete in most dialects; a shifted form exists, however, in dialects (compare Luxembourgish Auer). In German, the word early on developed the sense “timing device”, not present in other languages. Compare further Dutch uur, English hour, French heure. Doublet of Jahr.

Translation

  1. hours, o'clock (indicates the time within a twelve- or twenty-four-hour period) feminine, invariable

    Es ist vier Uhr.

    It is four o'clock.

    Es ist vier Uhr zwölf.

    It is twelve minutes past four.

    Wie viel Uhr ist es?

    What time is it?

  2. clock, watch (instrument used to measure or keep track of time) feminine

    Meine Uhr geht nach.

    My watch is running slow.

  3. meter; gauge (a kind of measuring device, typically for water and gas consumption) feminine, in-compounds

    Wasseruhr

    water meter

    Gasuhr

    gas meter

  4. clockwise direction feminine, informal

    mit der Uhr

    clockwise

    gegen die Uhr

    widdershins, counterclockwise

Declension

CaseSingularPlural
Nominative Uhr Uhren
Accusative Uhr Uhren
Dative Uhr Uhren
Genitive Uhr Uhren