trächtigen

Trächtigen is a German verb that is rarely used in modern standard German. It is mostly encountered in historical texts and regional dialects. The form is tied to the related noun Trächtigkeit, which denotes pregnancy, and to the adjective trächtig, meaning pregnant. In everyday language, pregnancy is described primarily with terms like schwanger or wird schwanger; older or dialectal forms such as trächtigen appear mainly in specialist or literary contexts.

Etymology and relation: The word traces back to the verb tragen (to carry) and shares semantic roots with Trächtigkeit, the state of carrying offspring. It reflects a root idea of bearing or producing offspring and shows how German historically built verbs around the concept of bearing.

Meanings and usage: In historical usage, trächtigen could convey the act of causing pregnancy (transitive) or, less commonly, the state of becoming pregnant. In modern language, such meanings are largely out of use; the more common expressions rely on other verbs and constructions. The verb is therefore largely of interest to philologists, editors of older texts, and specialists in veterinary or historical German.

Contemporary terminology: In veterinary science and biology, Trächtigkeit is the standard term for pregnancy in animals, and trächtig is the adjective used to describe an animal that is pregnant. The noun and adjective are widely attested, while the verb remains obscure or obsolete in current usage.

See also: Trächtigkeit, Tragen, Schwangerschaft.