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Definition of ernst

ernst

/ˈɜːrnst/
ernst
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ernst Lexical Profile

• noun

1

A male given name and surname of German origin, equivalent to English Ernest, notably borne by the German Dadaist and surrealist artist Max Ernst (1891–1976).

Example

"The museum exhibition featured several frottage and collage works by Max Ernst."

2

(archaic or obsolete) Seriousness, zeal, or earnestness of purpose.

Example

"In medieval chronicles, the knights are described as riding into the tournament in full ernst rather than mere sport."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

ermine
ernest
ernie
ernst
erode
erogenous
eros

Word Origin & Etymology

An archaic or obsolete variant of 'earnest', deriving from Old English 'eornost' (zeal, seriousness), which is cognate with the German noun 'Ernst' and the personal name 'Ernst'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ernst. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ernst
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