Pinkstern.

Etymology: < Dutch (now rare) pinkster, †pinckster, †pinster (Middle Dutch pinxter , pinster ; now Pinksteren (compare Middle Dutch pinxteren , dative plural of pinxter )), variant of Middle Dutch pincsten, pinxten (Dutch (now regional) Pinksten ), ultimately < Hellenistic Greek πεντηκοστή Pentecost n. (perhaps via post-classical Latin pentecoste : see Pentecost n.). Either cognate with the Dutch word or parallel borrowings are: Old Frisian (in compounds) pinkostra, pinxtera, pinster (West Frisian Pinkster), Old Saxon pinkostōn (Middle Low German pingesten, pingsten, pingsteren, pinxteren, pinksten, pinxsten), Old High German fimfchusti (in an isolated attestation in dative plural fimfchustim, translating post-classical Latin a pentecosten; Middle High German phingeste, pfingesten, German Pfingsten), Old Danish (in compounds) pingæz, pingx, pintse (Danish pinse), Old Swedish pinxsta, pinxste (Swedish pingst), Gothic paintekuste (in an isolated attestation (1 Corinthians 16:8) in accusative plural paintekusten). It has been suggested that Gothic paintekuste was borrowed into Old High German as a result of the missionary activity of Goths from the Danube area, and that the other West Germanic languages borrowed the word from Old High German. However, there is no evidence of a Gothic mission among the Alemannians and Bavarians, who would have been the first German tribes to borrow the word. It is more likely that Old High German fimfchusti was formed independently of the Gothic word.With Pinkster day at sense 1 compare early modern Dutch pinghsterdagh (1599; Dutch pinksterdag ). In sense 2 after Dutch pinksterbloem (1743 or earlier in this sense: see quot. 1743 at sense 2, in which the form pinkterbloem is probably a misprint; now denoting various other flowers which bloom around Whitsuntide, especially the lady's smock, ragged robin, and yellow flag). An isolated use of the Dutch word occurs earlier in a dispatch from Amsterdam:1651 Mercurius Politicus No. 52. 842 The great Assembly is adjourned for eight daies, by reason of the Pinxter Holidays.