Skip to content

Erkenntnisdrang

urge to understand, drive for knowledge

noun er-KENT-nis-drang Rare

Usage Note

Erkenntnisdrang is a slightly elevated compound for an inner compulsion to understand things and find out the truth. It appears in philosophical and literary contexts alongside Wissensdurst.

Examples

"Ihr Erkenntnisdrang ließ sie keine einfache Erklärung akzeptieren."

Natural Translation

Her drive for knowledge would not let her accept a simple explanation.

Literal Translation

Her knowledge-urge let her no simple explanation accept.

Explore German by topic