Beffchen

German

Alternative forms

• Bäffchen

Etymology

Via Middle Low German beve, beffe, itself (possibly via Middle Dutch) from Old French biffe (“striped fabric”). Compare Dutch bef.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛfçən/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Noun

Beffchen n (strong, genitive Beffchens, plural Beffchen)

1. (Protestantism) preaching bands (a kind of neckwear worn chiefly by Protestant ministers)

   Coordinate terms: Jabot, Kollar

   • 1924, Thomas Mann, Der Zauberberg [The Magic Mountain], volume 2, Berlin: S. Fischer, page 329:

     Namentlich nachdem der junge Pfarrer, den Luise Ziemßen berufen, und der zu Hans Castorps Bedauern keine gestärkte Krause, sondern nur Bäffchen getragen hatte, mit ihm gebetet, nahm seine Haltung amtlich-dienstliches Gepräge an, äußerte er Wünsche nur in Form kurzer Befehlsworte.

     Particularly after the young pastor, whom Luise Ziemßen had called and who, to Hans Castorp's regret, had not worn a starched ruffle but only a preaching band, had prayed with him, his attitude took on an official, ministerial character and he expressed his wishes only in the form of short words of command.

Declension

Declension of Beffchen [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Beffchen	die	Beffchen
genitive	eines	des	Beffchens	der	Beffchen
dative	einem	dem	Beffchen	den	Beffchen
accusative	ein	das	Beffchen	die	Beffchen

Further reading

• “Beffchen” in Duden online
• “Beffchen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• Beffchen on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de