schwester

Schwester is a German noun that primarily means sister, referring to a female sibling. It is also used in several other senses: a religious sister, meaning a woman who has joined a religious community; and an informal term for a nurse in a hospital, especially in older or regional usage. The plural form is Schwestern, and the term appears in compounds such as Geschwister (siblings, both male and female).

Etymology and usage notes: Schwester comes from Old High German swester and is cognate with the English word sister. In everyday speech, it is common to say “meine Schwester” for one’s sister. In institutional or historical contexts, “die Schwester” can refer to a nurse in a hospital, as in “die Schwester auf der Station.” That usage has declined in some places in favor of more formal titles like Krankenschwester or Pflegefachfrau, but it remains understood and still heard in many German-speaking regions and in patient-centered communication.

Religious usage: In many Christian traditions, including Catholic and Protestant communities, women who have taken vows and live in a religious community are addressed as “Schwester [Name].” This title signals membership in the religious order and is parallel to the English “Sister.” The term is typically used alongside or instead of the formal designation Nun in certain contexts.

See also: Geschwister (siblings); Nonne (nun). The word Schwester thus spans family language, religious naming, and historical occupational jargon, while remaining a common, neutral term in modern German.