der Bankrott
Translation
bankruptcy, insolvency, failure
Examples
Die Firma hat Bankrott angemeldet.
The company has filed for bankruptcy.
Er steht kurz vor dem Bankrott.
He is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Grammar Patterns
to file for ((sth.)) The company filed for bankruptcy.
to be on the verge of ((sth.)) The company is on the verge of bankruptcy.
Similar Words
Pleite (bankruptcy), Insolvenz (insolvency)
Etymology
Derived from Italian 'banca rotta', which means 'broken bench', from the practice of breaking a money changer's bench to signify their failure.
Memory Tips
It's a cognate of the English 'bankrupt', making it easy to remember. Imagine a bank that has rotted away.