die  Augenbraue

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈʔaʊɡn̩ˌbʁaʊə/

🧐 What exactly is an Augenbraue?

Die Augenbraue (noun, feminine) refers to the strip of hair on the ridge above the eye socket. Its main function is to protect the eye from sweat, rain, and dirt, but it also plays an important role in non-verbal communication and facial expressions (Mimik), for example, expressing surprise (Überraschung), doubt (Zweifel), or anger (Ärger).

The word is definitively feminine; there are no other articles or meanings for "Augenbraue". ⚠️ Be careful to spell the word correctly: Augenbraue (with an 'n' in the middle).

Article rules for der, die, and das

📝 Grammar of the Augenbraue in Detail

The word "Augenbraue" is a feminine noun. The article is always die.

Declension:

Example Sentences:

• Sie zupft sich regelmäßig die Augenbrauen. (She plucks her eyebrows regularly.)
• Er zog skeptisch eine Augenbraue hoch. (He skeptically raised an eyebrow.)
• Über seinen Augen waren dichte, buschige Augenbrauen. (Above his eyes were thick, bushy eyebrows.)
• Mit den Augenbrauen kann man viele Emotionen ausdrücken. (One can express many emotions with the eyebrows.)

🗣️ How to use "Augenbraue"?

"Augenbraue" is used in everyday language when talking about the face, appearance, or emotions.

• Facial description: "Er hat dunkle Augenbrauen." (He has dark eyebrows.)
• Cosmetics & Style: "Sie betont ihre Augenbrauen mit einem Stift." (She accentuates her eyebrows with a pencil.) / "Dünne Augenbrauen waren mal Mode." (Thin eyebrows were once fashionable.)
• Facial expressions & Emotions: "Die hochgezogenen Augenbrauen verrieten seine Überraschung." (The raised eyebrows revealed his surprise.) / "Mit gerunzelten Augenbrauen hörte er zu." (He listened with furrowed eyebrows.)

People usually refer to "die Augenbrauen" in the plural, as humans typically have two. When referring to a specific one or describing a typical gesture, the singular is used ("eine Augenbraue hochziehen" - to raise an eyebrow).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

1. Article "die": Remember that eyebrows are often associated with beauty (die Schönheit) and care (die Pflege), concepts often grammatically feminine in German. Imagine an elegant lady (die Dame) who is drawing on die Augenbrauen.
2. Meaning: The word is composed of "Auge" (eye) and "Braue" (brow). Think of the 'brow' above the 'eye'. You could imagine your EYE looking up at the BROW above it: EYE-n-BROW -> Augenbraue.

↔️ Synonyms and Related Terms

Synonyms:

• There isn't a common direct synonym for "Augenbraue". Colloquially, people might just say "Brauen" (brows), but this is less precise.

Related Terms:

• die Wimper: The eyelash (hair on the eyelid, not above the eye).
• die Stirn: The forehead (the area above the eyebrows).
• die Braue: Can occasionally be used synonymously, but is rather archaic or part of the compound word "Augenbraue".

There are no direct antonyms, only descriptive phrases like "the spot without an eyebrow".

😂 A Little Joke

Warum haben Augenbrauen so viel Ausdruckskraft?

Weil sie ständig hochgestimmt sind, wenn etwas Interessantes passiert! 😉

(Why are eyebrows so expressive? Because they are always 'raising the spirits'/'getting raised' (hochgestimmt can mean cheerful/high-pitched, and 'hoch' means high) when something interesting happens!)

📜 Poem about the Augenbraue

Zwei Bögen zart, ein feiner Schwung,
Die Augenbraue, stets noch jung.
Sie rahmt den Blick, mal ernst, mal heiter,
Ist der Gefühle Wegbereiter.
Zieht sich hoch bei Staunens Laut,
Runzelt sich, wenn man misstraut.
Ein kleiner Strich, doch o wie wichtig,
Macht das Gesicht erst richtig!

(Two arches delicate, a fine curve, / The eyebrow, forever young. / It frames the gaze, sometimes serious, sometimes cheerful, / Is the harbinger of feelings. / Raises high at sounds of amazement, / Furrows when one mistrusts. / A small line, but oh how important, / Makes the face truly complete!)

❓ Little Riddle

Ich sitze über deinem Blick,
Schütze dich vor Tropfengeschick.
Ich zeige Freude, Zorn und Zweifel klar,
Ein behaarter Bogen, wunderbar.

Was bin ich?

Lösung: Die Augenbraue

(I sit above your gaze, / Protect you from the fate of drops. / I clearly show joy, anger, and doubt, / A hairy arch, wonderful.

What am I?

Solution: The eyebrow)

💡 More Interesting Facts

Word Composition:

The word "Augenbraue" is a compound noun, composed of:

• Auge (das): eye (Genitive Plural "Augen")
• Braue (die): An older word for brow or edge, related to the English "brow".

So it literally means "brow/arch above the eyes".

Cultural Significance: In many cultures, well-groomed eyebrows (gepflegte Augenbrauen) are considered a feature of beauty. The shape and thickness of eyebrows are subject to fashion trends.