Anfall

See also: anfall

German

Etymology

Deverbal noun from anfallen (“to set upon, attack, overwhelm”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈanfal/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Noun

Anfall m (strong, genitive Anfalles or Anfalls, plural Anfälle)

1. (now rare) swift attack (military or criminal)
2. fit; seizure; attack (medical or emotional)
3. yield; volume; quantum (an amount or number of something, especially one that varies somewhat irregularly between periods of time)

   Der Anfall an Krankmeldungen ist in diesem Quartal besonders niedrig.

   The number of people calling in sick has been unusually low this quarter.

Declension

Declension of Anfall [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Anfall	die	Anfälle
genitive	eines	des	Anfalles, Anfalls	der	Anfälle
dative	einem	dem	Anfall, Anfalle1	den	Anfällen
accusative	einen	den	Anfall	die	Anfälle

¹Now rare, see notes.

Hyponyms

• epileptischer Anfall (“epileptic seizure, epileptic fit”)
• Herzanfall (“heart attack”)
• Hustenanfall (“coughing attack, coughing fit, fit of coughing”)
• Lachanfall (“laughing fit, fit of laughter”)
• Wutanfall (“tantrum, fit of rage”)

Derived terms

• anfällig

Related terms

• Angriff
• Abfall, Ausfall, Durchfall, Zufall, Zwischenfall
• Fall

Further reading

• “Anfall” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Anfall” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “Anfall” in Duden online