stumpf

Stumpf is a German noun and adjective with several related meanings. As a noun, der Stumpf refers to a stump or remnant, such as a Baumstumpf (tree stump) or the remaining part of something that has been cut or worn down. It can also denote the blunt end or stub of an object.

As an adjective, stumpf describes something blunt or dull in edge, appearance, or perception. For example, a stumpfe Klinge is a dull blade, and stumpfes Denken can mean dull-witted or lacking sharpness of mind. The term can also appear in compounds such as stumpfsinnig (dull-witted) or stumpfkantig (blunt-edged).

Etymology and usage in German reflect its core sense of something shortened, truncated, or lacking sharpness. The word originates from Germanic roots and has cognates in other West Germanic languages, where related terms carry similar ideas of bluntness or remnants. In modern German, stumpf is commonly used in everyday speech as well as in technical contexts to describe physical dullness or figurative dullness.

Stumpf is also a German surname. As a family name, it appears in German-speaking regions and among the global diaspora. Notable individuals with this surname include John Stumpf, an American banker and former chief executive officer of Wells Fargo.

See also: Stump, the English equivalent for a remaining part of a cut object, and related terms in German that describe dullness or remnant forms.