Geringere

Geringere is a German adjective form derived from gering, meaning small, minor, or slight. In contemporary usage, geringere is used to express a comparative sense or a reduction of a quality or quantity. It appears frequently in formal, technical, and policy language, with examples such as die geringere Belastung, das geringere Risiko, and die geringeren Kosten.

Morphology and usage: Geringere appears when the adjective is declined with a definite article or determiner, producing phrases like die geringere Belastung or das geringere Risiko. It also occurs in the plural as die geringeren Kosten. In predicative constructions, the language uses the standard comparative form geringer (es ist geringer als …). In everyday speech, speakers may choose alternatives such as weniger or kleiner depending on context.

Noun use: The word can be nominalized in written German as Geringere, meaning “the lesser ones.” This noun usage is rare and is typically found in historical, rhetorical, or stylistic contexts rather than in everyday conversation.

Etymology and related terms: The form derives from the adjective gering and uses the usual German comparative/attributive inflection with determiners. Related terms include gering (small/minor), geringfügig (negligible), and weniger (less). Geringe, geringere, or geringsten appear in different gender and number combinations depending on the surrounding grammar.

See also: gering, geringfügig, weniger, Reduzieren.