Word of the week: das Versuchskaninchen
Updated: Mar 6, 2021
(das) Versuchskaninchen
noun: (literal) laboratory rabbit; (figurative) guinea pig
Calling someone a Versuchskaninchen is a colloquial way of saying they are a test person: this word can be used in either a positive or a negative manner.
Wir sind keine Versuchskaninchen, wir sind doch Menschen! = We aren’t guinea pigs, we’re humans! [Teacher to pupils] Wer will mein Versuchskaninchen sein? = Who wants to be my guinea pig?
A rabbit. Photo: Joshua Choate via Pixabay