Walpurgis Night

noun

Wal·pur·gis Night väl-ˈpu̇r-gəs-

: the eve of May Day on which witches are held to ride to an appointed rendezvous

: something (such as an event or situation) having a nightmarish quality

Examples of Walpurgis Night in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The witches’ dance has origins in Walpurgis Night, an April holiday that doubles as a second Halloween for many Germans. —

Jen Murphy, WSJ, 29 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Walpurgis Night.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

partial translation of German Walpurgisnacht, from Walpurgis St. Walburga †a.d. 779 English saint whose feast day falls on May Day + German Nacht night

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of Walpurgis Night was in 1823

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near Walpurgis Night

Walpurgisnacht

Walpurgis Night

walpurgite

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Walpurgis Night.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Walpurgis%20Night. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

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