Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Jacob Grimm: The older of the two Grimm brothers, a German philologist, jurist, and mythologist, remembered best for collecting and publishing fairy tales with his brother. He is also the author of Grimm's law, which describes consonant changes in Germanic languages. He lived from 1785 to 1863.
   • Wilhelm Grimm: The younger of the two Grimm brothers, a German author and anthropologist, remembered best for collecting and publishing fairy tales with his brother. He lived from 1786 to 1859.
   • The Grimm brothers (collectively): Refers to the duo, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, famous for their collection of folktales known as Grimms' Fairy Tales.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The philological work of Grimm was as significant as his folkloric collections. (This sentence typically refers to Jacob Grimm.)
  • Many classic stories, like "Cinderella" and "Hansel and Gretel," were popularized by the Brothers Grimm.
  • A new biography explores the life of Wilhelm Grimm.

Advanced Usage

• "Grimm's" as a possessive: Used to denote works, laws, or collections associated with one or both brothers.
  • She studied the phonetic shifts outlined in Grimm's law. (Refers to Jacob Grimm's linguistic rule.)
  • The library has a first edition of Grimm's Fairy Tales.

Variants and Related Words

• Grimms' (adj): The possessive plural form, used to refer to things belonging to or created by both brothers.
  • The Grimms' collection includes over 200 stories.
• Grimmian (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of the Grimm brothers or their works, often implying a dark or folkloric quality.
  • The film has a Grimmian atmosphere, blending wonder with menace.

Synonyms

• The Brothers Grimm: The most common synonym for "Grimm" when referring to the duo.
• Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: The full names, used for specificity.

Related Phrases

• Grimm's law: A specific term in historical linguistics for the First Germanic Sound Shift, formulated by Jacob Grimm.
  • Understanding Grimm's law is essential for studying the history of Germanic languages.
• Grimms' Fairy Tales: The common English title for their collection, .
  • "Grimms' Fairy Tales" have been translated into countless languages.

Noun

1. the older of the two Grimm brothers remembered best for their fairy stories; also author of Grimm's law describing consonant changes in Germanic languages (1785-1863)
2. the younger of the two Grimm brothers remembered best for their fairy stories (1786-1859)