Tierische

Tierische is a German term that can function as an adjective meaning related to animals or animal-like, and as a noun when nominalized to refer to the animal nature or the animal world. The most common use is in attributive adjective form after definite articles or possessives, for example die tierische Welt (the animal world) or seine tierischen Instinkte (his animal instincts). When used as a predicate or in other grammatically required positions, the same root can appear with appropriate endings, and in many contexts speakers also use tierisch as a colloquial intensifier rather than the adjective form.

Etymology and form: Tierische is derived from Tier, meaning “animal,” with the adjectival suffix -ische. As an adjective it behaves like other German adjectives, taking an -e ending after definite articles (die tierische Haut) and varying for number and case. The noun form das Tierische is a nominalized usage that can denote the animal nature or the realm of animals in philosophical or literary contexts. In everyday language the plural die Tierischen is rare for referring to animals, where die Tiere is standard.

Usage notes: Tierische tends to describe qualities or categories associated with animals, while das Tierische as a noun emphasizes the animal essence or instinctive aspects within beings. The closely related adjective tierisch exists in modern German as an informal intensifier meaning “terribly” or “extremely” (tierisch gut), but this usage is separate from the noun-derived sense of Tierische.

See also: Tier, Tierwelt, Tierkunde, Menschliche.