belegter

Belegter is a German noun and participial adjective form derived from the verb belegen. It is not a common term in modern standard German and is mainly encountered in historical texts, dialectal usage, or in specialized administrative contexts. The core sense relates to occupancy, possession, or assignment—the idea of someone who occupies or holds something, or something that is occupied.

In everyday language, the term is rarely needed; more common descriptors are occupant or holder. When Belegter appears, it is typically in contexts such as a seat, a room, or a position being occupied. For example, a Belegter eines Sitzplatzes would denote a person occupying that seat. In hotel registries or old administrative documents, you might find Belegung or related phrases rather than the standalone noun Belegter.

In medical or hospital contexts, occupancy is usually expressed with Belegung and Belegbett, and the person referred to is simply the patient rather than a Belegter. In legal or administrative texts, Belegter could, depending on context, be understood as a person who is in possession of a document or certificate (the Beleg). However, such usage is uncommon and highly context-dependent; modern texts would typically use terms like Inhaber, Besitzer, Träger, or simply the relevant occupational descriptor.

Etymology: Belegter is formed from belegen (“to occupy, to prove, to document”) with the agent noun suffix -ter. The word remains obscure enough that its precise meaning shifts with context, and readers are advised to rely on surrounding language to determine its intent.

See also: Belegung, Beleg.