mustergültige

Mustergültige is a German adjective meaning exemplary, model, or ideal. It describes something that serves as a standard or pattern for others, such as behavior, performance, or outcomes. The term is common in formal or evaluative contexts—education, administration, media reporting, and corporate communication—where standards and quality are discussed.

Etymology and nuance: Mustergültig is a compound built from Muster (model, pattern) and a suffix forming adjectives with the sense “worthy of being a model.” The nuance is that the described item is not merely good, but sets a benchmark for others to imitate. In usage, mustergültig often conveys a clearly positive evaluation and a normative ideal.

Grammar and usage: The base form is mustergültig. When attributive before a feminine singular noun, or before certain plural nouns without a definite article, the form appears as mustergültige (for example, eine mustergültige Leistung; die mustergültige Leistung). With definite articles in the plural, the adjective takes the ending -en as part of the weak declension (die mustergültigen Leistungen). In everyday speech and writing, mustergültig is most often used to describe actions, standards, or people who exemplify reliability, integrity, or high quality.

Typical synonyms include vorbildlich and exemplarisch, though each carries slightly different connotations: mustergültig emphasizes being a model or standard-setter, while vorbildlich can be more broadly positive and descriptive.

See also: Muster, vorbildlich, exemplarisch.