overwordExplorer
GERMAN · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

knapp.

scarce

5 characters1 syllables approx.Deutsch language

Meaning & usage

adj/knap/[knap]

  1. scarce

  2. lean (having little extra)

  3. somewhat less (than)

    ein knappes Jahr

  4. short or tight

  5. a close call, a narrow escape

    Das war knapp. Wir wären fast abgestürzt!
Where this word comes from

From Middle Low German knap, probably related to Old Norse hneppr (“button”) and hneppa (“pinch”), all from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knappa-, which is perhaps related to Proto-West Germanic *knappō (“knob, boy”) or Proto-Germanic *knuppaz (“lump, clod”), though the semantic gaps are non-trivial. Cognate with Dutch knap, but of uncertain ultimate origin. Also compare Danish næppe (“hardly at all”).

adv/knap/[knap]

  1. narrowly, just, barely

    Wir sind knapp pünktlich.

  2. somewhat less than, almost

    Sein Sohn ist knapp acht Jahre alt.
    Es ist knapp sieben Uhr.
Where this word comes from

From Middle Low German knap, probably related to Old Norse hneppr (“button”) and hneppa (“pinch”), all from Proto-Germanic *knappô, *knappa-, which is perhaps related to Proto-West Germanic *knappō (“knob, boy”) or Proto-Germanic *knuppaz (“lump, clod”), though the semantic gaps are non-trivial. Cognate with Dutch knap, but of uncertain ultimate origin. Also compare Danish næppe (“hardly at all”).

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.