abgetragen

Abgetragen is a German adjective and the past participle of the verb abtragen, meaning to remove, take away, erode, or wear away. It is used to describe something that has been worn down, stripped, or removed, either by natural processes or by human action. The term can refer to materials, objects, or surfaces, as well as to landscapes or geological formations that have lost material.

Etymology and usage: The word combines the prefix ab- (away, off) with tragen (to carry or bear), conveying the sense of material being carried away or removed from a surface. In everyday language, abgetragen describes items that are visibly worn or tattered, such as abgetragenes Kleidungstück (a worn-out garment) or abgetragene Schuhe (worn shoes). In geology and geomorphology, abgetragen denotes the removal of rock or soil by erosion, wind, water, or ice, with abgetragenes Gestein referring to eroded rock material.

Contexts and examples: In a household context, one might say, “Die Jacke ist stark abgetragen,” meaning the jacket shows heavy wear. In a natural setting, “Die Klippen sind durch Abtragung geformt” indicates that erosion has shaped the cliffs. The related noun Abtragung describes the process of erosion or removal of material, while abgetragenes Material refers to the resulting debris or sediment.

See also: Abtragung, Abnutzung, Verschleiß, Erosion.