strenge

Strenge is a term found in Germanic languages with multiple uses centered on the idea of firmness or lack of leniency. It can function as a noun in German, meaning severity or strictness, and as an adjective meaning strict or severe in German, Dutch, and related languages. The core sense across these uses is related to rigidity, discipline, or rigor. Etymologically, the word is linked to Proto-Germanic roots associated with tightness or stiffness.

In German, Strenge (capitalized) is the noun for severity or strictness, as in the phrase “die Strenge der Regeln.” The corresponding adjective form is streng, which takes various inflected endings; for example, before feminine singular nouns the attributive form can be strenge (eine strenge Lehrerin).

In Dutch and other West Germanic languages, the related adjective is typically rendered as streng, with inflected forms such as strenge in certain contexts (for instance, in front of feminine singular nouns or after articles). The meanings align with the German usage, conveying strictness, sternness, or rigor.

Strenge also appears as a proper noun in some regions, where it may be used as a surname or as a place name. In these cases it is treated as a toponym or family name rather than a lexical meaning of strictness, and its exact use is highly localized.

See also Streng and Strenger, related forms found in Germanic language contexts.