# If ubermensch is "the superman" what is the word for "the superwoman"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813 "2016-05-15T01:05:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/1 "2016-05-15T01:05:54Z")
I tried google translate but “[ubermensch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9Cbermensch)” is detected as an Eenglish word now (because it’s used so much in English I guess) not a unique Geman word. If I wanted to say the “Superwoman” or the “Overwoman” what is the proper phrase? Also is “mensch” used in this context gender specific in German or does it just mean a “human” not a male “man”. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/2 "2016-05-15T01:08:00Z")
Übershiksa? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/3 "2016-05-15T01:16:16Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Also is “mensch” used in this context gender specific in German or does it just mean a “human” not a male “man”. [Here’s one cite](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/german-english/mensch) that Mensch means “human,” not necessarily male. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/4 "2016-05-15T01:17:05Z")
Mensch is more along the lines of “human” rather than “dude”. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/5 "2016-05-15T01:26:18Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Mensch is more along the lines of “human” rather than “dude”. So what would be the gender specific phrase for “the superman” and “the superwoman” in German? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/6 "2016-05-15T02:42:47Z")
> [@astro](#): > > So what would be the gender specific phrase for “the superman” and “the superwoman” in German? Der Übermann and die Überfrau? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/7 "2016-05-15T04:11:33Z")
Ubermann or uberherr? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/8 "2016-05-15T05:18:28Z")
Ubermann. Uberherr would be supermister. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/9 "2016-05-15T07:42:12Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Übershiksa? 😃 aka shiksa goddess. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/10 "2016-05-15T09:10:54Z")
I rather think that if you’re the kind of person who believes in “Ubermenschen”, you would have no need of a word for a woman, whom you would think of as _a priori_ an Untermensch, or not a Mensch at all. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/11 "2016-05-15T09:49:25Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Ubermann. > > Uberherr would be supermister. Super-_duper_-super-mister! ---
**Author:** ![Chihuahua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@Chihuahua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chihuahua)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/12 "2016-05-15T10:27:10Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > I rather think that if you’re the kind of person who believes in “Ubermenschen”, you would have no need of a word for a woman, whom you would think of as _a priori_ an Untermensch, or not a Mensch at all. Why do you say this? My understanding is that the ubermensch is a person who is not constrained by the limitations placed on him by society and religion, and is able to achieve his maximum potential by creating his own value system. What definition are you using? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/13 "2016-05-15T10:58:05Z")
There is no “Superwoman”. Everybody knows that Superman’s distaff counterpart is SuperGIRL. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/14 "2016-05-15T11:31:51Z")
Die Ubermensche ? Die Uberminke ? [giggle] ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/15 "2016-05-15T13:49:33Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Übershiksa? Überwench! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/16 "2016-05-15T14:54:41Z")
Überlyft. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-ubermensch-is-the-superman-what-is-the-word-for-the-superwoman/754813/17 "2016-05-15T15:25:47Z")
Speaking seriously, they are right: > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > [Here’s one cite](http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/german-english/mensch) that Mensch means “human,” not necessarily male. > [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Mensch is more along the lines of “human” rather than “dude”. The translation into English as “superman” rather than “overhuman” has more to do with the standards of English usage when it came about. But, however, we must recognize that _by the general cultural standards of the time_ it \*would \*be expected that the actively leading Übermenschen would be the men, with the Übermensch women by their side actively supporting. (Brings me to mind Ayn Rand characters: think Howard Roark and Dominique Francon – they are both Superior People but as a couple it’s clear who’s the one who wears the pants.) > [@Chihuahua](#): > > Why do you say this? > > My understanding is that the ubermensch is a person who is not constrained by the limitations placed on him by society and religion, and is able to achieve his maximum potential by creating his own value system. What definition are you using? I believe that to **PatrickLondon** the term has been pre-Godwinized, that is, he’s presuming the Nazi (mis)usage of the term is the default meaning.