emsig

From Middle High German emzec, emzic, from Old High German emezzīg, emizzīg (“persistent, continuous”), attested since the 8th century, of uncertain ultimate origin. Kluge initially suggested that it could be related to Emse (“ant”),[1] but this was later qualified as “uncertain” and removed in subsequent editions.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛmzɪç/ (standard)

• Audio

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• IPA^(key): /ˈɛmzɪk/ (common form in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: em‧sig

emsig (strong nominative masculine singular emsiger, comparative emsiger, superlative am emsigsten)

1. industrious

   Synonym: fleißig

   • 1909 [1901], Thomas Mann, chapter 3, in Buddenbrooks […] ‎, Berlin: Deutsche Buch-Gemeinschaft, →OCLC, part 5, page 259; republished as Helen T. Lowe-Porter, transl., 1924:

     »Der Kaufmannsstand ist doch ein schöner, wirklich beglückender Beruf!« sagte er. »Solide, genügsam, emsig, behaglich … ich bin wahrhaftig ganz dafür geboren! […] «

     “Business is really a fine, gratifying calling,” he said. “Respectable, satisfying, industrious, comfortable. I was really born to it—fact! […] ”

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• “emsig” in Duden online
• “emsig” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “emsig” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.