Marienkäfer

German

Etymology

Maria (given name) +‎ Käfer (“beetle”). Compare English ladybug, where "lady" refers to the Virgin Mary.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /maˈʁiː.ənˌkɛː.fɐ/
Audio (file)

Noun

Marienkäfer m (genitive Marienkäfers, plural Marienkäfer)

ladybug, ladybird

Synonyms

Some local traditions also use "Frauenkäferl", from "Frau" = "Lady" i.e. "Our Lady Mary" and "Käferl" = Diminutive from "Käfer"

Further reading

Marienkäfer in Duden online

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.