Mindestgrenze

Mindestgrenze is a German term used to describe a lower bound or minimum threshold that must be met or that should not be fallen below. The word combines Mindest (minimum) and Grenze (boundary). It is used across disciplines to denote criteria or limits that constrain outcomes, subsidies, eligibility, or measurements.

In economics and social policy the concept appears as the floor for wages, benefits, or subsidies. For example, minimum wage laws establish a Mindestgrenze for gross hourly pay; eligibility rules for social benefits may be based on a Mindestgrenze of income or other criteria. The term is often used descriptively rather than as a formal technical term; specific laws or regulations define the exact figure.

In politics the term can describe thresholds for representation or participation. In German discourse the standard term for electoral threshold is often the Fünf-Prozent-Hürde, rather than Mindestgrenze, but the latter may be used in a general sense to denote any required minimum support.

In science and statistics the concept appears as a detection or measurement threshold. A Mindestgrenze may designate the smallest value that can be reliably measured or distinguished from noise, or a lower limit used in regulatory standards for emissions or pollutant concentrations.

Compared with related terms such as Untergrenze (lower limit) or Mindestwert (minimum value), Mindestgrenze emphasizes a normative floor that should not be crossed, whereas other terms may have more technical or narrower meanings.