German

Noun

Trotz m ‎(genitive Trotzes, no plural)

1. defiance

Declension

Related terms

• trotzen

Related terms

German

Preposition

trotz ‎(+ dative or genitive)

1. in spite of, despite

Usage notes

• The word originally governed the dative exclusively, as it is shortened from either the phrase zum Trotz or from constructions with the verb trotzen, both of which govern the dative. Compare trotzdem from the same sources, which is a connection of this word with the required dative article. While this is the predominant usage (in spoken German), due to historical hypercorrection with a desire for a formal tone, usage with the genitive is considered correct today by the official rules of Germany.

Derived terms

• nichtsdestotrotz
• trotzdem