erniedrigt

Erniedrigt is a German word that functions primarily as the past participle of the verb erniedrigen, meaning to humiliate, degrade, or debase someone. It can be used as a predicative adjective (Er fühlt sich erniedrigt) or in compound tenses with haben (Er hat ihn erniedrigt). In attributive position the related participle erniedrigend or the adjective forms that derive from it may be used to describe actions or attitudes that are humiliating, as in eine erniedrigende Behandlung. The form erniedrigt can also describe a person who has been humiliated, for example eine erniedrigte Person.

Usage and connotations: Erniedrigt carries a strong negative connotation and is typically employed in contexts involving social power, insult, bullying, or psychological harm. It is common in both everyday language and written discourse when discussing incidents of humiliation or degradation. The verb erniedrigen is transitive, requiring a direct object, as in Der Lehrer erniedrigte den Schüler vor der Klasse, or Er hat ihn erniedrigt. The adjective use highlights the emotional or reputational impact, as in Sie fühlte sich erniedrigt nach dem Vorfall.

Etymology and related forms: The term derives from the Germanic root associated with niedrige, low, with the prefix er- adding a sense of completion or intensification. Cognates appear in the broader Germanic language family, reflecting a common Proto-Germanic idea of lowering someone’s status. Related nouns include Demütigung (humiliation) and related adjectives such as erniedrigend (humiliating) and erniedrigte (humiliated as a descriptor).

See also: demütigung, erniedrigende Behandlung, humiliating.

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