die  Wikipedia

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/vɪkiˈpeːdia/

📖 What does "die Wikipedia" mean?

Die Wikipedia is the name of a well-known, collaboratively created online encyclopedia. It is a *proper noun*.

The name is derived from:

• Wiki: A Hawaiian word for "quick". Refers to the wiki software that allows users to edit quickly.
• pedia: Derived from the Greek word paideia (παιδεία), meaning "education" or "upbringing", similar to "encyclopedia".

In German, "Wikipedia" is treated as feminine and therefore used with the article die.

🚨 *There is only this one meaning and this one article for the word in German.*

📊 Grammar and Declension for "die Wikipedia"

"Wikipedia" is a *proper noun* and is treated as feminine in German. It is normally only used in the singular. A plural form is uncommon and would typically refer to different language versions or hypothetical instances, but is usually paraphrased.

Singular

Plural

A true plural is very rare. Sometimes it's used colloquially for different language versions ("die verschiedenen Wikipedias"), but this is usually expressed differently (e.g., "die Wikipedia-Versionen" - *the Wikipedia versions*, "die verschiedenen Sprachausgaben der Wikipedia" - *the different language editions of Wikipedia*).

📝 Example Sentences

1. Ich schaue schnell etwas in der Wikipedia nach. (I'll quickly look something up in Wikipedia.)
2. Die Wikipedia ist eine nützliche Quelle für schnelle Informationen. (Wikipedia is a useful source for quick information.)
3. Die Zuverlässigkeit der Wikipedia wird oft diskutiert. (The reliability of Wikipedia is often discussed.)
4. Viele Schüler nutzen die Wikipedia für ihre Hausaufgaben. (Many students use Wikipedia for their homework.)

💡 How to use "die Wikipedia"?

"Die Wikipedia" is used to specifically refer to the online encyclopedia www.wikipedia.org and its various language versions.

• Typical contexts: *Research*, *information seeking*, *education*, *discussion about online sources*, *citing articles*.
• Usage: Mostly used with the definite article *die*. Sometimes the article is omitted, especially in casual speech or when cited as a source ("Quelle: Wikipedia" - *Source: Wikipedia*).
• Distinction: It's important to distinguish *Wikipedia* from traditional, editorially reviewed encyclopedias (like the German *Brockhaus*), as its content is created and edited by volunteers.
• Collocations: You often find phrases like "in der Wikipedia nachschlagen" (*to look up in Wikipedia*), "auf Wikipedia stehen" (*to be written on Wikipedia*), "ein Wikipedia-Artikel" (*a Wikipedia article*).

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

For the article "die": Think of the word Enzyklopädie (encyclopedia). Words ending in "-ie" in German are often feminine (like *die* Biologie, *die* Theorie). So, Enzyklopädie helps remember die Wikipedia.

For the meaning: Imagine you need knowledge wiki (Hawaiian for *quick*) for your *pedia* (Greek for *education*). Where do you find that online? In die Wikipedia!

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

Related Terms:

• Wikimedia Foundation: *The non-profit organization behind Wikipedia.*
• Wiki: *The software or concept of collaborative websites.*
• Wikipedianer: *The authors and editors of Wikipedia (German term).*

😂 A Little Joke

Warum sollte man Wikipedia nie beim Pokern vertrauen?

Weil jeder seinen Senf dazugeben und die Fakten ändern kann! 😉

(Why should you never trust Wikipedia when playing poker? Because everyone can add their two cents and change the facts!)

📜 A Short Poem

Brauchst du Wissen, schnell und viel,
ist die Wikipedia oft das Ziel.
Ein Klick, ein Wort, ein Link, ein Pfad,
von Freiwilligen gemacht, grad'.
Doch prüfe stets, was du dort liest,
bevor du Schlüsse daraus ziehst!

(Need knowledge, quick and vast,
die Wikipedia is often the path.
A click, a word, a link, a way,
Made by volunteers, day by day.
But always check what you read there,
Before drawing conclusions, take care!)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich habe Abertausende Seiten, doch kein Papier.
Ich spreche viele Sprachen, bin aber nicht hier.
Jeder kann mich schreiben, doch gehört' ich keinem allein.
Mein Wissen wächst täglich, mal groß und mal klein.

Wer bin ich?

(I have thousands of pages, but no paper.
I speak many languages, but am not physically here.
Anyone can write me, yet I belong to no one alone.
My knowledge grows daily, sometimes large, sometimes small.

Who am I?

✨ Other Information about "Wikipedia"

• Founding: *Wikipedia was founded on January 15, 2001, by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger.*
• Collaborative Principle: *Its core feature is that content can be created, edited, and improved by users worldwide.*
• Language Versions: *Wikipedia exists in over 300 languages. The German Wikipedia (de.wikipedia.org) is one of the largest.*
• Neutrality: *A core principle of Wikipedia is the Neutral Point of View (NPOV), although adherence to it is often debated.*
• Wikimedia Projects: *Wikipedia is part of a family of projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, including Wikimedia Commons (media repository) and Wikidata (knowledge base).*