Niederrhein

German

Etymology

From nieder (“low, lower”) +‎ Rhein (“Rhine”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

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Proper noun

Niederrhein m (proper noun, strong, genitive Niederrheines or Niederrheins)

1. Lower Rhine (the Rhine in Germany north of Bonn)
2. Lower Rhine region (a narrower geographical region along the Rhine, north-west of Düsseldorf)
3. (dated) Bas-Rhin (a department of Alsace, Grand Est, France)

Usage notes

• The broader definition is only relevant with regard to the geography of the Rhine, which is divided into Oberrhein, Mittelrhein, and Niederrhein. Otherwise the word generally refers to the narrower region.

Derived terms

• niederrheinisch