der  Weltrekord

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈvɛltʁəkɔʁt/

🏆 What exactly is a Weltrekord?

A Weltrekord is the German term for a world record. It signifies the best performance ever achieved and officially recognized worldwide in a specific discipline, often in sports, but also in other fields. It represents the absolute peak performance.

The noun is masculine, so the correct article is der: der Weltrekord.

• Meaning: The highest/best globally achieved and registered performance.

There are no different meanings based on the article, as only "der" is used. 🚨 Be careful: Don't confuse it with a persönlicher Rekord (personal best) or a Landesrekord (national record), which are not necessarily world-leading achievements.

🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Weltrekord

The noun "Weltrekord" is masculine (maskulin). Here are the declension tables (Deklinationstabellen):

Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)

1. Er hält den Weltrekord im 100-Meter-Lauf.
   (He holds the world record in the 100-meter dash.)
2. Das Aufstellen eines Weltrekords erfordert jahrelanges Training.
   (Setting a world record requires years of training.)
3. Die Verbesserung des alten Weltrekordes war eine Sensation.
   (Improving the old world record was a sensation.)
4. Viele Athleten träumen von Weltrekorden.
   (Many athletes dream of world records.)

🗣️ How to Use "Weltrekord"?

The term Weltrekord is primarily used in the context of extraordinary achievements:

• Sport: Most commonly found here (e.g., athletics, swimming). "Sie brach den Weltrekord im Hochsprung." (She broke the world record in the high jump.)
• Guinness World Records: Also used for curious or extreme achievements (longest hair, largest mosaic). "Er schaffte es mit dem schnellsten Hotdog-Essen in das Buch der Weltrekorde." (He made it into the book of world records for the fastest hot dog eating.)
• Science & Technology: Rare, but possible for certain accomplishments (e.g., deepest drilling).
• Figurative Meaning: Sometimes used ironically or exaggeratedly for a personal best. "Ich habe heute Morgen einen Weltrekord im Kaffeetrinken aufgestellt!" (I set a world record for coffee drinking this morning!) (Colloquial)

Common verbs used with Weltrekord are: aufstellen (to set), halten (to hold), brechen (to break), or verbessern (to improve) a world record.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Remembering the Article: Think of 'masculine' achievements often associated with records: DER champion, DER winner, DER strongest man. These fit with DER Weltrekord.

Remembering the Meaning: Picture the entire Welt (world) focused on one point – that's DER REKORD (the record) that surpasses all others. Welt + Rekord = The best performance in the whole world.

🔄 Similar & Opposite: Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: A Rekord alone isn't always a Weltrekord. It can also be a personal, local, or national record.

😂 A Little Joke

German: Warum hat der Wecker einen Weltrekord aufgestellt?

Weil er jeden Morgen alle anderen auf der Welt schlägt!

English Translation: Why did the alarm clock set a world record?

Because every morning, it beats everyone else in the world!

📜 Poem about the Weltrekord

German:
Schneller, höher, weiter hinaus,
die Menge tobt, Applaus, Applaus!
Ein Moment, für die Ewigkeit gemacht,
der Weltrekord, in voller Pracht.
Schweiß und Mühe, jahrelang,
dann endlich der Triumphgesang.
Niemand besser, auf der ganzen Rund,
das ist die schönste Siegeskund'.

English Translation:
Faster, higher, further out there,
the crowd goes wild, applause fills the air!
A moment made for eternity's sight,
the world record, shining so bright.
Sweat and effort, year after year,
then finally, the victory cheer.
No one better, the whole world around,
that's the most beautiful victor's sound.

🤔 Little Riddle

German:
Ich bin die Spitze, global bekannt,
im Sport oft mit Applaus genannt.
Mich zu brechen, ist das große Ziel,
erreicht werd' ich mit Kraft und viel Gefühl.

Was bin ich?

English Translation:
I am the peak, globally known,
in sports, often with applause shown.
To break me is the greatest aim,
achieved with strength and feeling in the game.

What am I?

Solution: Der Weltrekord (The World Record)

🧩 Additional Information

Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):

The word "Weltrekord" is a compound noun (Kompositum), composed of:

• Welt: Meaning 'world', referring to the entire globe.
• Rekord: Borrowed from English/French 'record', meaning a registered best performance.

Together, the meaning is literally "the world-registered best performance".

Trivia:

The Guinness-Buch der Rekorde (Guinness Book of Records) collects not only athletic world records but also all sorts of other, often very quirky, types of Weltrekorde.