Irre

Irre is a German term that can function as both an adjective and a noun, with different nuances in everyday use. As an adjective, irre means crazy, insane, or absurd in colloquial speech. It is used for strong emphasis, often in exclamations such as “Das ist irre!” meaning “That’s crazy!” It can appear in compounds and phrases to intensify meaning, sometimes informally or playfully.

As a noun, with capital I, der Irre refers to a madman or lunatic, and the plural is die Irren. The noun form is informal and can be insulting when used about a person. In modern usage, it is typically avoided in polite conversation or in formal writing, where milder terms are preferred.

Etymology and sense development: The word derives from the verb irren, meaning to err or to wander, which over time came to connote losing one’s reason. The adjective irre captures a state of being irrational or wildly incorrect, while the noun Irre names a person in that state. The combination of literal and figurative meanings accounts for its flexible, often humorous, but potentially offensive character in speech.

Usage context: Irre is common in German-language media, fiction, and everyday conversation, where it conveys strong emotion or humorous exaggeration. Its use to describe a person can be pejorative, so speakers choose context and tone carefully.

Note: Irre is not widely recognized as a formal name of a place or organization in standard references, and when encountered as a proper noun, it is usually creative or incidental rather than a defined entity.