Walpurgisnacht

English

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from German Walpurgisnacht.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /vɑːlˈpɜːɡɪsnɑːxt/ (or as German, below)

Noun

Walpurgisnacht (uncountable)

  1. Walpurgis night, a feast of witchcraft in German folklore; any orgiastic or bacchanalian party.
    • 1942, Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey Through Yugoslavia, Canongate, published 2006, page 365:
      The proper sequel to the Walpurgisnacht obsequies of Franz Ferdinand would have been the dismissal of Prince Montenuovo...
    • 1969-12-25, Burton H. Wolfe, “Introduction”, in The Satanic Bible, Avon, →OL:
      On the last night of April 1966 — Walpurgisnacht, the most important festival in the lore of magic and witchcraft — LaVey ritualistically shaved his head in accordance with magical tradition and announced the formation of the Church of Satan.

German

Etymology

From Walpurgis +‎ Nacht.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /valˈpʊrɡɪsnaxt/
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Walpurgisnacht f (genitive Walpurgisnacht, plural Walpurgisnächte)

  1. Walpurgis night
    • 1808, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Nacht”, in Faust: Der Tragödie erster Teil [Faust, Part One]‎:
      Mir ist’s ganz tugendlich dabey, / Ein Bißchen Diebsgelüst, ein Bißchen Rammeley. / So spukt mir schon durch alle Glieder / Die herrliche Walpurgisnacht.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 2024 May 1, “Randale zum 1. Mai: 3100 Berliner Polizeikräfte in der Nacht im Einsatz – Amazon-Transporter in Flammen”, in Der Spiegel‎, →ISSN:
      Bei den fünf Versammlungen in der Hauptstadt in der sogenannten Walpurgisnacht seien insgesamt 3100 Polizeikräfte im Einsatz gewesen, sagte eine Sprecherin der Polizei Berlin.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension
Declension of Walpurgisnacht [feminine]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative eine die Walpurgisnacht die Walpurgisnächte
genitive einer der Walpurgisnacht der Walpurgisnächte
dative einer der Walpurgisnacht den Walpurgisnächten
accusative eine die Walpurgisnacht die Walpurgisnächte

Descendants
  • → English: Walpurgisnacht, → Walpurgis night (calque)

Further reading

Portuguese

Noun

Walpurgisnacht m or f (uncountable)

  1. Walpurgis night (a feast of witchcraft in German folklore)
    Synonyms: noite de Walpurgis, noite de santa Valburga
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