fackeltanz

noun

fack·​el·​tanz

ˈfäkəlˌtänts

plural fackeltänze

-ˌtentsə

1

: a pavane for a ceremonial torchlight procession formerly celebrating a royal marriage in certain German courts

2

: polonaise

Word History

Etymology

German, from fackel torch (from Old High German faccala, facchela, from Latin facula small torch) + tanz dance, from Middle High German, from Old French dance

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!