auseinandergelegen

Auseinandergelegen is a German adjective formed from the verb phrase auseinandeliegen (to lie apart). It describes a spatial relationship in which two or more places, objects or regions are located at a noticeable distance from one another. The prefix auseinander- signals separation, while gelegen is the past participle of liegen used as part of the compound. The form can be used attributively as auseinandergelegene Orte or predicatively in constructions like Die Orte liegen auseinandergelegt, depending on tense and style. A related present-participle form is auseinanderliegend.

In usage, auseinandengelegt describes literal geographical separation rather than administrative or temporal distance. It is common in geography, cartography, urban planning and historical descriptions when conveying that places are not contiguous and lie far apart. Its nuance is primarily physical spacing, though in some contexts it can imply long-standing separation or limited direct interaction.

Synonyms and near-equivalents include getrennt or weit voneinander entfernt, which emphasize distance but may lack the exact spatial sense that auseinandengelegen conveys. The term is especially appropriate for describing remote towns, dispersed settlements, or regions that are geographically separated by distance, terrain, or borders.

Examples of use: "Die Inseln liegen geografisch weit auseinander." "Historisch lagen die Regionen kulturell auseinander, doch der Austausch nahm zu." The term helps to communicate a clear image of spatial separation in neutral, descriptive writing.