Anlaufs

Anlaufs is the genitive singular form of the German noun Anlauf. Anlauf is a masculine noun used in several related senses: a run-up or approach toward a target, an initial attempt or effort, and the startup or activation phase of a machine, process, or project. The standard plural is Anläufe, while Anlaufs appears mainly as the genitive singular form, for example in des Anlaufs des Projekts or im Verlauf des Anlaufs.

In usage, Anlauf commonly refers to a preparatory movement or phase. In sports, it denotes the run-up before a throw, jump, or sprint, and phrases such as einen kurzen Anlauf nehmen are common. In technical contexts, Anlauf describes the startup or warm-up period of equipment or systems; related terms include die Anlaufzeit (startup time) and die Anlaufphase (initial phase). Figuratively, the expression einen neuen Anlauf nehmen means to make another attempt after a setback, similar to “take another stab at it.”

Etymologically, Anlauf derives from an- (toward) and Lauf (run), reflecting movement toward a goal, with the familiar compound meanings extended across sport, engineering, and planning. The word forms and derivatives are used across formal writing and technical documentation, though in everyday German the explicit plural Anläufe is more common than relying on the genitive singular Anlaufs for plural references.

See also: Anlaufzeit, Anlaufphase, Anlauf (sports and technical contexts).