Ecke

Ecke is a German noun that denotes a corner, angle, or junction where two lines or surfaces meet. In everyday use, it most commonly refers to a physical corner such as the corner of a room (die Ecke des Zimmers) or a street corner (die Straßenecke). It can also indicate the position on a page or screen, for example “in der oberen rechten Ecke” (in the upper-right corner).

Usage and phrases

Ecke appears in various common expressions. For instance, “an der Ecke stehen” can mean to stand at or near a corner, while “jemanden in die Ecke treiben” means to corner someone or force them into a difficult place. The idiom “Ecken und Kanten haben” describes a person with both flaws and redeeming traits, literally meaning “corners and edges.”

Geometric and technical use

In mathematics and technical contexts, Ecke can describe a corner of a polygon, polyhedron, or other geometric object. More formal terminology for a vertex is often Eckpunkt or Scheitelpunkt, depending on the discipline, with Ecke serving as the everyday or descriptive term for a corner.

Other notes

Ecke also appears in proper names and surnames and can be part of compound words such as Eckladen (corner shop) or Eckpunkt in technical writing. The word is widely understood in German-speaking regions and remains a foundational term for describing spatial relationships, rooms, cities, and graphical layouts.

Overall, Ecke is a versatile, commonly used word for any corner or junction, with broad applicability in daily speech, design, and geometry.