ort

Ort is a masculine German noun meaning place or location. It refers to a specific site, town, or area within a larger region and is used in everyday speech as well as in official or descriptive language, including maps, addresses, and geographic explanations.

In compound forms Ort appears in terms such as Wohnort (place of residence), Arbeitsort (place of work), Ortsteil (a subdivision or district of a town), Ortsname (place name), and Ortskern (town center). In toponymy, the element -ort is a common suffix in German place names, indicating a locality or settlement. The word provides a concise way to refer to where something is situated within a broader landscape.

Etymology and linguistic notes: Ort is an ancient word within the Germanic languages, with cognates in related languages that express the idea of a site, locale, or locality. Its core meaning has remained stable over many centuries, making it a foundational term in geographic and cartographic usage.

Other uses: Ort also occurs as a surname in German-speaking regions and can appear in geographic names and administrative terms. In modern writing and translation, Ort is sometimes used as a generic reference to a location or site, particularly when converting German texts that describe places or spatial relations. Overall, Ort denotes the concept of a specific place within a larger space.