erstaunt
Erstaunt is a German adjective meaning astonished or amazed. It is derived from the verb erstaunen, “to astonish,” and functions as a participial adjective formed with the prefix er- and the root staunen. As a declined adjective, it follows standard mixed- adjective patterns: der erstaunte Mann, die erstaunte Frau, das erstaunte Kind; in plural: die erstaunten Menschen.
Usage in context typically describes a person’s emotional reaction to something surprising. It is commonly used
Difference from related terms: Erstaunt emphasizes the immediate cognitive reaction to something surprising, whereas erstaunlich means
Examples: Die Zuschauer waren erstaunt über die Wendung in der Geschichte. Er war erstaunt, wie schnell sie
Etymology note: Erstaunt derives from erfahrene verb roots in German, combining er- with staunen to convey the