Skip to content

Siebenschläfer

edible dormouse

noun ZEE-ben-shlaef-er Rare
Animals & Nature Wild Animals

Origin: literally 'seven-sleeper', from its long winter hibernation of up to seven months

Also means

a person who sleeps a lot (colloquial)

Usage Note

Siebenschläfer (Glis glis) is a squirrel-like rodent that hibernates for up to seven months. In German weather lore, the Siebenschläfer Day (27 June) is said to predict the weather for the next seven weeks. Plural: die Siebenschläfer.

Examples

"Der Siebenschläfer hält als einer der längsten Winterschläfer Europas Rekorde."

Natural Translation

The edible dormouse holds records as one of Europe's longest hibernators.

Literal Translation

The edible dormouse holds records as one of the longest hibernators of Europe.

Explore German by topic