Low German

noun

A West Germanic language spoken in Low (i.e. Northern) Germany and north-eastern parts of the Netherlands, and formerly also in large parts of eastern and north-eastern Europe, which developed out of Middle Low German from Old Saxon; often treated as a dialect group of German (or Dutch) for convenience, but widely recognized as a separate language.

Similar
PlattdeutschPlatt
Opposite
High DutchHigh German
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Meanings

nounLow German (uncountable)

alternative Low-German

  1. uncountableA West Germanic language spoken in Low (i.e. Northern) Germany and north-eastern parts of the Netherlands, and formerly also in large parts of eastern and north-eastern Europe, which developed out of Middle Low German from Old Saxon; often treated as a dialect group of German (or Dutch) for convenience, but widely recognized as a separate language.

    Synonyms: Plattdeutsch, Platt

adjective

alternative Low-German

  1. In, of or relating to Low German.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA West Germanic language spoken in Low (i.e. Northern) Germany and north-eastern parts of the Netherlands, and formerly also in large parts of eastern and north-eastern Europe, which developed out of Middle Low German from Old Saxon; often treated as a dialect group of German (or Dutch) for convenience, but widely recognized as a separate language.

Similar
PlattdeutschPlatt

antonym(s) of “West Germanic languages that are not High German”

Opposite
High DutchHigh German

More synonyms by meaning

nouna German dialect spoken in northern Germany

Similar
Plattdeutsch
Broader
West GermanicWest Germanic language
Also see
low dutchlow saxonnether-saxonplattdeutsch

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

See low (as in lowland) and German, because northern Germany (Low Germany), where it is spoken, is lower in elevation than southern Germany. See also High German in contrast.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan baix alemany
  • baix alemanyWest Germanic language
Chinese Mandarin 低地德語 /低地德语
  • 低地德語 /低地德语 (dīdì Déyǔ)West Germanic language
Danish nedertysk, plattysk
  • nedertyskWest Germanic language
  • plattyskWest Germanic language
  • nedersaksiskWest Germanic language
  • nedertyskTranslations
Dutch Nedersaksisch, Nederduits
  • NedersaksischWest Germanic language
  • NederduitsWest Germanic language
  • PlatduitsWest Germanic language
  • NederduitsWest Germanic languages that are not High German
  • NederduitsTranslations
Estonian alamsaksa, alamsaksa keel
  • alamsaksaWest Germanic language
  • alamsaksa keelWest Germanic language
Finnish alasaksa, alasaksi
  • alasaksaWest Germanic language
  • alasaksiWest Germanic language
French bas saxon, bas allemand
  • bas saxonWest Germanic language
  • bas allemandWest Germanic languages that are not High German
German Niederdeutsch n Niedersächsisch, Plattdeutsch
  • Niederdeutsch n NiedersächsischWest Germanic language
  • PlattdeutschWest Germanic language
  • NiederdeutschWest Germanic languages that are not High German
  • niederdeutschTranslations
Hungarian alnémet, alnémet
  • alnémetWest Germanic language
  • alnémetTranslations
Icelandic lágþýska, niðursaxneska
  • lágþýskaWest Germanic language
  • niðursaxneskaWest Germanic language
  • plattþýskaWest Germanic language
Irish Gearmáinis Íochtarach
  • Gearmáinis ÍochtarachWest Germanic language
Italian basso sassone, basso tedesco
  • basso sassoneWest Germanic language
  • basso tedescoWest Germanic languages that are not High German
Japanese 低地ドイツ語
  • 低地ドイツ語 (teichi Doitsu-go)West Germanic language
Norwegian Bokmål lavtysk, nedertysk
  • lavtyskWest Germanic language
  • nedertyskWest Germanic language
  • plattyskWest Germanic language
  • platt-tyskWest Germanic language
  • nedersaksiskWest Germanic language
Polish język dolnoniemiecki, dialekt dolnoniemiecki
  • język dolnoniemieckiWest Germanic language
  • dialekt dolnoniemieckiWest Germanic languages that are not High German
  • dolnoniemieckiTranslations
Portuguese baixo alemão
  • baixo alemãoWest Germanic language
Russian нижненеме́цкий, нижненеме́цкий
  • нижненеме́цкий (nižneneméckij)West Germanic language
  • нижненеме́цкий (nižneneméckij)Translations
Spanish bajo sajón, bajo alemán
  • bajo sajónWest Germanic language
  • bajo alemánWest Germanic language
  • bajo alemánWest Germanic languages that are not High German
Swedish lågtyska, plattyska
  • lågtyskaWest Germanic language
  • plattyskaWest Germanic language
  • nedersaksiskaWest Germanic language
  • lågtyskTranslations
Turkish Aşağı Almanca
  • Aşağı AlmancaWest Germanic language
Ukrainian нижньонімецька, нижньоніме́цький
  • нижньонімецька (nyžnʹonimécʹka)West Germanic language
  • нижньоніме́цький (nyžnʹonimécʹkyj)Translations
Welsh Isel Almaeneg
  • Isel AlmaenegWest Germanic language
Cite this entry
APA

Low German. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Low%20German

MLA

“Low German.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Low%20German. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Low German,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Low%20German.

Source: Low German on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.