weiß

Weiß is a German word with several related meanings centered on color and knowledge. It is written lowercase when used as an adjective meaning the color white (for example, ein weißes Hemd). When used as a noun, it is capitalized as das Weiß, referring to whiteness or the color white as a concept. The verb form weiß is the present tense of wissen, as in ich weiß, du weißt, er weiß, meaning “to know.” The spelling with ß (weiss with ss is found in older texts or in Swiss usage) reflects different orthographic conventions.

Etymology and cognates: Weiß derives from the Proto-Germanic root *hwītaz, related to the English word white and similar words in other Germanic languages (Dutch wit, Swedish vit). The modern German form weiß arose through historical sound changes and the orthographic reform of the 20th century. The noun das Weiß and the color adjective weiß are related semantically but differ in capitalization and usage.

Usage and compounds: The word appears in common color descriptions (das Auto ist weiß), in abstract or cultural contexts (das Weiß der Schnee, whiteness), and in compound terms such as Weißbier (a wheat beer) and Weißwurst (a Bavarian white sausage). In names, Weiß is also a surname; spellings without umlaut, such as Weiss, are common in German-speaking communities outside Germany and in international contexts.

See also: The term is closely related to color terminology, orthography variations (weiß vs. weiss), and its use in surnames and place names.