Oktoberfest

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A well-known celebration that takes place yearly in Munich, showcasing beer, local customs, and numerous cultural events
2. This widely recognized festival features beer tastings, traditional food, and lively entertainment, predominantly held in an outdoor setting
3. An annual event in Munich celebrated with beer, traditional meals, music, and cultural activities

Etymology: The most famous beer festival in the world began as a royal wedding party. In October 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, and the celebrations were held on the meadow outside the city gates, later named Theresienwiese in her honour. The horse race that closed the festivities proved so popular that the Bavarians kept repeating it each autumn, and the beer tents followed. The name is a plain compound of German "Oktober" and "Fest", meaning "festival". "Oktober" traces back through Middle High German "october" to Latin "October", the eighth month of the old Roman calendar, whose name comes from "octo", meaning eight. "Fest" descends from Latin "festum", a feast or holiday, which is also the source of the English word "feast". The term was borrowed into English directly from German.