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furt

Furt is a German noun meaning ford, a shallow place in a river or stream where it is possible to cross on foot, by horse, or by vehicle. Historically, fords were essential transit points and often developed into settlements because they provided a crossing point and a place for trade or toll collection. In geography and toponymy, the term Furt is widely used as a place-name element; many towns, villages, and districts in German-speaking areas incorporate Furt in their names to indicate an old or nearby crossing. The word is cognate with English ford and Dutch voorde, sharing a Proto-Germanic origin that denotes a crossing point of a river.

In modern usage, Furt as a common noun is largely historical or specialized; contemporary German more often

See also: Ford (geography).

uses
überqueren
or
queren
for
"to
cross."
Nevertheless,
the
element
Furt
remains
common
in
place
names,
and
some
municipalities
simply
bear
the
name
Furt.
The
concept
of
a
ford
also
appears
in
historical
accounts
of
travel,
migration,
and
military
campaigns,
where
fords
could
determine
routes
and
strategic
advantages.