Where does “Purim spiel” come from?
Purim spiel (English) comes from Yiddish פּורימשפּיל, from Yiddish שפּיל, from Middle High German spil, from Old High German spil, from Proto-West Germanic spil — dance; game, exercise.
Purim spiel (English): A (usually comic) theatrical reenactment of the book of Esther
Definitions
- A (usually comic) theatrical reenactment of the book of Esther
Ancestry of “Purim spiel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yiddish | פּורימשפּיל | Purim play |
| 2 | Yiddish | שפּיל | game |
| 3 | Middle High German | spil | — |
| 4 | Old High German | spil | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | spil | dance; game, exercise |