Eidgenössisches

Eidgenössisches is an inflected form of the German adjective eidgenössisch, used to denote something related to the Swiss federal state or the Swiss Confederation. It functions as a descriptive modifier in phrases that refer to federal matters, institutions, laws, or authorities. The term derives from Eidgenossenschaft, the historical concept of a confederation based on oaths, and it remains common in official Swiss language.

In everyday and official usage, Eidgenössisches appears before neuter nouns in the singular, especially when no definite article is present. For example, Eidgenössisches Recht means federal law. The corresponding forms shift with gender and number: Eidgenössische Behörden (feminine plural), Eidgenössische Bundesräte (masculine plural), or Eidgenössisches Departement des Innern (neuter singular, depending on the noun). The form shows up in the names of institutions and in legal and administrative phrases, reflecting the federal character of the Swiss state.

Practice and style notes: The spelling follows standard German declension rules. With definite articles, the ending typically becomes -e (das Eidgenössische Bundesgericht). Without an article, the strong ending -es is common (Eidgenössisches Recht). The term is not a proper noun by itself but a descriptive attribute used in compound names and titles, such as federal departments, authorities, or laws.

See also: Eidgenossenschaft; Swiss Confederation; Eidgenössische Staaten, historical references to the federation; Bundesbehörden (federal authorities).