Definition
A German term meaning 'master race,' infamously used by Nazi ideology to describe a superior racial group.
Etymology
From German Herren (masters/lords) plus Volk (people/folk). This is a German compound that gained terrible historical significance during the Nazi era.
Kelly Says
The Nazis didn't invent this term—it had existed in German thought since the 1800s, but they weaponized it to justify horrific genocide and colonization.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
ሀረንፎልክ
har-en-folk
ARالعربية
هرينفولك
harynfūlk
BNবাংলা
হেরেনভোল্ক
he-ren-bhōlk
CACatalà
herrenvolk
er-ren-folc
CSČeština
herrenvolk
hɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
DADansk
herrenvolk
hɛʁ.ʁɛn.fɔlk
DEDeutsch
Herrenvolk
hɛʁ.ʁɛn.fɔlk
ELΕλληνικά
ερενφολκ
e-ren-folk
ESEspañol
herrenvolk
er-ren-folc
FAفارسی
هرن فولک
haren fūlk
FISuomi
herrenvolk
her-ren-volk
FRFrançais
herrenvolk
ɛʁ.ʁɛn.fɔlk
GUGU
હેરનવોલ્ક
he-ran-vōlk
HAHA
herrenvolk
he-re-nvolk
HEעברית
הרנפולק
har-nefolk
HIहिन्दी
हर्रेनवोल्क
harreṇvōlk
HUMagyar
herrenvolk
hɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
IDBahasa Indonesia
herrenvolk
hér-rén-folk
IGIG
herrenvolk
he-re-nvolk
ITItaliano
herrenvolk
er-ren-folc
JA日本語
ヘレンフォルク
herenforuku
KKKK
герренфольк
gʲɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
KMKM
ហេរេនហ្វូល
he-ren-fool
KO한국어
헤렌폴크
he-ren-pol-keu
MRMR
हर्रेनवोल्क
harreṇvōlk
MSBahasa Melayu
herrenvolk
hér-rén-volk
MYမြန်မာ
ဟဲရင်းဖော့
hè-rin-hpaw
NLNederlands
herrenvolk
hɛr.ʁɛn.fɔlk
NONorsk
herrenvolk
hɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
PAPA
ਹੇਰਨਵੋਲਕ
he-ran-vōlak
PLPolski
herrenvolk
hɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
PTPortuguês
herrenvolk
er-ren-folc
RORomână
herrenvolk
her-ren-volk
RUРусский
герренфольк
gʲɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
SVSvenska
herrenvolk
hɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
SWKiswahili
herrenvolki
he-re-nvol-kee
TAதமிழ்
ஹெர்ரென்வோல்க்
her-ren-vōlk
TEతెలుగు
హెర్రెన్వోల్క్
her-ren-vōlk
THไทย
เฮเรนฟอล์ก
he-ren-folk
TLTL
herrenvolk
her-ren-volk
TRTürkçe
herrenvolk
her-ren-folk
UKУкраїнська
герренфольк
gʲɛr.rɛn.fɔlk
URاردو
ہیرن وولک
hairan vūlk
VITiếng Việt
herrenvolk
hơ-rên-folc
YOYO
herrenvolk
he-re-nvolk
ZUZU
herrenvolk
he-re-nvolk
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
German term meaning 'master race' popularized by Nazi ideology to denote racial superiority of Aryan peoples. The term carries inherent masculine authority assumptions and was weaponized to justify persecution of women and non-dominant groups.
Inclusive Usage
Avoid in contemporary discourse except in historical/critical academic contexts. If used, clarify as a historical concept being examined, not endorsed.
Inclusive Alternatives
["dominant ideology","supremacist doctrine","racial hierarchy"]