gesundheit

Definition

Said to someone who has just sneezed.

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from German Gesundheit (literally “health”), from gesund (“healthy”). The adjective is cognate with English sound, from Old English ġesund (“sound, safe, healthy”).

Example Sentences

• "Everybody Was at It, and There Was No One to Say Gesundheit"
• "I used to play a game with David and Douggie, Dennis and Drew — stop their sneezes midsniff just by placing my pinkie finger against their nostrils and saying gesundheit before it was time."
• "Flynn: All right, Blondie. Rapunzel: Rapunzel! Flynn: Gesundheit."