Glieder

Glieder is the plural form of the German noun Glied and refers to a limb or body part. In everyday language it denotes the parts that make up a limb, while more specialized medical terms such as Gliedmaßen or Extremitäten are commonly used in clinical contexts. The phrase die Glieder des Körpers is standard for “the limbs of the body.” Beyond biology, Glieder can describe components or links within a larger system or organization, for example die Glieder einer Maschine or die Glieder einer Struktur, emphasizing that each part contributes to a whole.

Glieder is also used as a surname in German-speaking regions, appearing in historical records and contemporary contexts without implying a meaning beyond its function as a family name.

In usage, Glieder often appears in literary or formal registers. In everyday speech, speakers may refer more specifically to a single limb with Glied or to limbs in general with Gliedmaßen or Extremitäten, depending on context. The plural Glieder remains common when speaking of body parts in a general sense or of components within a larger composition.

Related terms include Glied (singular), Gliederung (structure or outline), and Gliedmaßen (limbs).