Übertrag

Übertrag is a German noun whose meaning varies with context. It derives from über (over, across) and Trag (carry) and is used to denote transfer, transmission, or carryover. In everyday language it can refer to the act of moving something from one place to another, or to the transmission of information, signals, or diseases, with the precise sense clarified by the field of use.

In mathematics and related technical fields, Übertrag often means carry in arithmetic. When adding numbers, if the sum in a column reaches or exceeds the base, the excess is carried to the next higher column, producing a Übertrag. In digital electronics and computer science, the term is used for the carry bit that propagates between digits or stages in adders and circuits.

In finance, accounting, and administration, Übertrag denotes the transfer or rollover of values between accounts or time periods. A common example is the saldoübertrag, the carryover of a balance from one accounting period to the next. The term thus captures both monetary transfers and the continuity of balances or data across boundaries.

In biology and medicine, the related term Übertragung is standard for transmission, especially of pathogens or traits. Although Übertrag is less common in formal texts, it can appear as shorthand in discussions of transmission routes (Übertragungsweg) or when referring to the transfer of genetic material, diseases, or signals between entities.

Other uses include information technology and physics, where energy, data, or signals can be described as being Übertragen or transferred. Overall, Übertrag denotes a movement or conveyance from one state, place, or entity to another, with the specific sense determined by context.