German edit

 
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Bayerischer Maibaum – Bavarian maypole
 
Rheinischer Maibaum – Rhenish maypole

Etymology edit

Mai (May) +‎ Baum (tree)

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

Maibaum m (strong, genitive Maibaumes or Maibaums, plural Maibäume)

  1. maypole (garlanded pole put up for May Day, e.g. on a village square)
    • 2010, Der Spiegel[1], number 23/2010, page 48:
      Sie kannte die Tradition, dass junge Männer in ihre Nachbardörfer schleichen und dort Maibäume stehlen. Mitgemacht hatte sie nie. Sie wusste auch nicht so genau, warum Menschen überhaupt Bäume anmalen und aufstellen […]
      She knew the tradition that young men sneak into their neighbor villages and steal maypoles there. She had never participated. Also she didn't know very well why people paint end erect trees at all […]
  2. (Rhineland, especially Cologne-Bonn area) a garlanded young birch tree that a young man puts up in front of the house of his sweetheart during the night before May Day

Declension edit

Related terms edit

Further reading edit

  • Maibaum” in Duden online
  • Maibaum” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache