fastelavn

Danish

Etymology

From Old Danish fastelaghen, borrowed from Middle Low German vastelāvent, vastāvent, a compound of vasten (“Lent”) +‎ āvent (“evening”), the former from Old Saxon *fastōn, from Proto-West Germanic *fastēn (“to fast”).

See also German Fastelovend (Cologne). Faroese føstulávint/fastalávint and Swedish fastlag are also borrowed from Low German.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [fasd̥əˈlɑwˀn]

Noun

fastelavn c (singular definite fastelavnen, not used in plural form)

1. (Christianity) Shrovetide (the time before Lent)
2. A carneval-like celebration in some Northern European countries during Shrovetide

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Probably from Danish fastelavn.

Noun

fastelavn m (definite singular fastelavnen, indefinite plural fastelavnar, definite plural fastelavnane)

1. (Christianity) Shrovetide
2. a carneval-like celebration in some Northern European countries during Shrovetide