FromMiddle High Germangruft,kruft, fromOld High Germangruft,kruft,chruft, fromProto-West Germanic*krufti, an early borrowing fromLatincrypta, fromAncient Greekκρυπτή(kruptḗ). Cognate withDutchkrocht,Middle Low Germankruft,Old Englishcruft.Doublet ofGrotte andKrypta.
Some authors think that the word may have been merged with a native West Germanic*grufti, deverbal from*graban(“to dig”).[1] However, since the form with ⟨g⟩ appears almost exclusively inHigh German, it is more probably due to secondary association with this verb. For the modern native understanding,Gruft is certainly a derivative ofgraben.
Gruft f (genitiveGruft,pluralGrüfteorGruften)
- avault,tomb,masonedgrave;any kind, but especially one that is underground
- Synonyms:Grabgewölbe,Grabkammer,Mausoleum
Wir besichtigen dieGruft der Bischöfe im Münsteraner Dom.- We’ll visit the bishops’vault in the cathedral ofMünster.
- anopengrave
- Synonyms:Grube,(offenes)Grab
Der Sarg wird mit Seilen in dieGruft hinabgelassen.- The coffin is lowered into theopen grave by means of ropes.
- (regional, including Rhineland, Westphalia) afamilygrave, aparcel on acemetery for usually two or morecoffins
- Synonyms:Familiengrab,Grabparzelle,Grabstelle
DieGruft läuft noch 25 Jahre.- Thefamily grave has been leased for another 25 years.
Declension ofGruft [feminine]
- “Gruft” inDuden online
- “Gruft” inDigitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Gruft f (pluralGrufte)
- crypt
- mine
- vault
