Blaulicht

German

Etymology

blau +‎ Licht

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈblaʊ̯ˌlɪçt/
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪçt

Noun

Blaulicht n (strong, genitive Blaulichts or Blaulichtes, plural Blaulichter)

  1. (slightly informal) flashing or rotating emergency light (usually on a vehicle)
    Synonym: (officialese) Rundumkennleuchte
    Das Polizeiauto ist mit Blaulicht an mir vorbeigerast.
    The police car raced past me with flashing lights.
  2. (colloquial, metonymic, chiefly uncountable) emergency vehicle(s) (with such flashing lights)
    Mir ist vorhin auf der Autobahn viel Blaulicht entgegengekommen.
    Earlier on the highway there were a lot of emergency vehicles going the other way.

Usage notes

  • Such lights are generally blue in German-speaking Europe, but if they happened to have another colour the term Blaulicht could still be used.
  • Warning lights at roadworks and the like, which are typically yellow, are called Warnlicht or Warnlampe.

Declension

Declension of Blaulicht [neuter, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein das Blaulicht die Blaulichter
genitive eines des Blaulichts, Blaulichtes der Blaulichter
dative einem dem Blaulicht, Blaulichte1 den Blaulichtern
accusative ein das Blaulicht die Blaulichter

1Now rare, see notes.

Further reading

  • “Blaulicht” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • “Blaulicht” in Duden online
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