aquelarre

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Basque akelarre, a composed of aker (“male goat”) and larre (“meadow”). Some researchers say the original word was alkalarre, from alka (“Spanish kind of cocksfoot”), akelarre being a form corrupted by the Church.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /akeˈlare/ [a.keˈla.re]

Noun

aquelarre m (plural aquelarres)

1. A nocturnal group of witches and the devil.
2. A coven
3. A Basque celebration of witches

Further reading

• “aquelarre”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014