eingelegten

Eingelegten is the declined form of the German adjective eingelegt, meaning pickled or preserved in brine, vinegar, sugar, or oil. The term is used to describe foods that have undergone preservation by soaking or processing in a preserving liquid.

Etymology and usage context: The form derives from the verb einlegen, to pickle or preserve. Eingelegt is the base participle, and eingelegten is the plural attributive ending used before a plural noun, or in fixed phrases where the weak declension applies (for example after a definite article or in certain prepositional phrases).

Grammatical note and examples: In attributive position before a plural noun, the ending -en yields forms such as eingelegten when combined with certain determiners or in certain cases (die eingelegten Gurken, mit eingelegten Zwiebeln). In predicative position, the form is usually eingelegt: Die Gurken sind eingelegt. The plural form eingelegten is common in everyday usage and on labels or menus describing multiple pickled items.

Common contexts and foods: The concept covers a range of preserved foods, especially vegetables and olives. Typical examples include eingelegte Gurken (pickled cucumbers), eingelegte Zwiebeln (pickled onions), eingelegte Oliven (pickled olives), and other eingelegtes Gemüse. In German-speaking cuisines, pickled products are widespread as accompaniments, garnishes, or shelf-stable ingredients.

See also: Einlegen, eingelegt, pickled foods, German culinary terms.