Ständer

Ständer is a German masculine noun with several related senses centralized around the idea of standing or supporting. In everyday language a Ständer is a stand or support for holding items, such as a lamp, a plate, a coat, or sheet music. Common compound forms include Notenständer (music stand), Mikrofonständer (microphone stand), and Lampenständer (lamp stand).

In construction and carpentry, Ständer denotes a vertical load-bearing element of a wall: the stud. In timber-frame and modern stud-wall construction, Ständer run from the foundation to the roof and are connected by horizontal members to form the wall skeleton. They play a key role in transferring loads from above to the foundation and in creating door and window openings.

Beyond walls, the term is used for various stands or bases designed to support tools, equipment, or vessels, such as kitchen stands, display stands, or rack stands. The word also appears in specialized technical terminology where an object’s base or support structure is essential to its function.

Etymology and usage notes: Ständer derives from stehen, meaning to stand, and describes something that stands or provides support. In colloquial German, Ständer can also refer to an erection; this slang sense is common in informal speech but is inappropriate in formal writing. As with many German compounds, the specific meaning of Ständer is usually clarified by the accompanying noun (Noten-, Mikrofon-, Lampen-, etc.).