Zweiter

Zweiter is a German word that functions primarily as an ordinal numeral and as an adjective meaning “second.” It is formed from zwei (two) with the suffix -ter, mirroring other ordinals such as erster and dritter. In everyday language it is used to indicate position in a sequence or ranking.

As an attributive adjective, zweiter agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case: der zweite Mann (the second man), die zweite Frau (the second woman), das zweite Mal (the second time). In phrases denoting location or time, it appears with appropriate inflection, for example am zweiten Tag (on the second day) or im zweiten Stock (on the second floor). In predicative use, it can describe a subject, for instance: Er ist der Zweite (He is the second). When used as a noun, the word is capitalized as der Zweite, referring to the person or thing that is second, as in Der Zweite kam ins Ziel.

Notable uses include explicit ranking references, such as finishing positions (Er wurde Zweiter) and historical or institutional phrases like Der Zweite Weltkrieg, the German title for the Second World War. While zweiter commonly appears with masculine nouns, it also appears with feminine and neuter forms through standard German adjective declension, ensuring proper agreement with the noun it modifies.

See also: erster, dritter, zweites, Zweiter Weltkrieg.