'Poltergeist' is German for 'noisy ghost' — the onomatopoeic 'poltern' (to rumble) + 'Geist' (spirit).
A type of ghost or supernatural being supposedly responsible for physical disturbances such as loud noises, objects being moved or thrown, and other unexplained phenomena.
From German 'Poltergeist,' a compound of 'poltern' (to make noise, to rumble, to knock about) and 'Geist' (ghost, spirit). 'Poltern' is onomatopoeic, imitating the clattering and banging sounds associated with this type of haunting. Reports of poltergeist phenomena appear in European sources from at least the first century CE, but the German compound that names them entered English in the mid-nineteenth century during a surge of popular interest in spiritualism and the supernatural. Key roots: poltern (German: "to rumble, to make
The German word 'poltern' also appears in 'Polterabend,' a pre-wedding tradition in Germany and Austria where guests smash porcelain dishes on the ground outside the couple's home the evening before the ceremony. The shattering is meant to bring good luck — and the couple must sweep up the mess together, symbolizing their ability to handle hardship as a team.
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