What does “die Entwarnung” mean in German?

German builds die Entwarnung — “the all-clear” — by attaching the prefix ent- to die Warnung (warning). That prefix signals reversal or removal, so the word literally means the cancellation of a warning: danger over, you can breathe again. Originally the signal that an air-raid siren had ended, Germans now use it for any moment of relief — a medical result, a scare at work, a close call on the road.

The ent- prefix is a productive German tool: enttäuschen (to disappoint, literally to “un-deceive”), entlassen (to release/dismiss), entwaffnen (to disarm). Once you hear it, you start spotting the reversal everywhere. In this clip, Drake’s father Dennis Graham confirms he had been diagnosed with lung cancer — and then reveals the cancer is now gone. A reporter notes that Drake wrote the song lyrics before the Entwarnung came, which is why the track still sounds like the crisis is ongoing. That single word carries the whole emotional arc of the story.