Zweifel

Zweifel is a German noun meaning doubt or suspicion. It denotes uncertainty about a proposition, claim, or situation. The term is masculine: der Zweifel. The plural is die Zweifel, used when referring to multiple doubts, though in many contexts the plural may be implicit.

Etymology and usage extend the word into common phrases. Zweifel derives from Old High German zwifel or zwîfel, with cognates in other West Germanic languages. In contemporary German it occurs in phrases such as Zweifel an etwas hegen or keinen Zweifel haben. It also appears in philosophical discussions as a form of methodological doubt.

In philosophy and epistemology, Zweifel is central to critical inquiry; Cartesian methodischer Zweifel (Cartesian methodological doubt) is frequently discussed in German-language texts as an example of systematic doubt used to establish certainty. In everyday language, Zweifel signals skepticism toward claims of authenticity, validity, or likelihood, as in Zweifel an der Echtheit eines Dokuments.

Zweifel is also a surname in German‑speaking regions. The word participates in related compounds and expressions such as zweifelsohne and zweifellos, meaning undoubtedly, which function as adverbs in everyday and formal language.