fastnacht

noun

fast·​nacht

variants or less commonly fasnacht

ˈfäsh(t)ˌnäḵt,

ˈfäs(-

plural -s

1

: a doughnut made of yeast-leavened dough and traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday

2

usually capitalized [Pennsylvania German fasnacht & German fastnacht Shrove Tuesday, festival held on Shrove Tuesday, from Middle High German vastnaht, vasnaht Shrove Tuesday] : a festival of Christians of Germanic origin held on the last day before Lent and observed as a time of merrymaking preceding Lenten fasting

Word History

Etymology

modification of Pennsylvania German fasnachtkuche, from fasnacht Shrove Tuesday, festival held on Shrove Tuesday (from Middle High German vastnaht, vasnaht Shrove Tuesday, from vaste fast—from Old High German fasta —+ naht night, from Old High German) + kuche cake, from Old High German kuocho

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