Anhängers

Anhängers is not a standard stand-alone headword in German. In most cases it appears as either a mistaken form or, more correctly, as the genitive singular of Anhänger (des Anhängers). The base noun Anhänger has two main senses: a person who follows, supports, or adheres to a person or idea; and a device that is towed or attached to a vehicle, i.e., a trailer or caravan.

As a noun with its common senses, Anhänger can denote supporters or followers of a movement, party, brand, or individual. For example, die Anhänger der Partei bezeichnet their supporters. In a transportation context, Anhänger refers to a trailer or towed vehicle, such as a Wohnwagen-Anhänger (caravan trailer) or a Nutzanhänger (utility trailer). When used in vehicle terminology, the Anhänger is coupled to a Zugwagen (driving vehicle) and is subject to regulations concerning weight, coupling, braking, and lighting.

The plural form is die Anhänger, while the genitive singular is des Anhängers. The form Anhängers by itself is typically a misstep for the genitive singular and should be written as des Anhängers in standard usage. Related terms include Anhängerin (female follower) and Anhängerschaft, which denotes the group or body of supporters.

Etymologically, Anhänger derives from anhängen, meaning to hang onto or attach, reflecting both senses: a person who clings to or supports someone and an object that is attached to a vehicle. In contemporary usage, clarity is achieved by choosing Anhänger for the object or the follower context, and avoiding the ambiguous standalone form Anhängers.