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Wanderjahr

[vahn-duh r-yahr]
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noun, plural Wan·der·jah·re [vahn-duh r-yah-ruh] /ˈvɑn dərˌyɑ rə/. German.
  1. a year or period of travel, especially following one's schooling and before practicing a profession.
  2. (formerly) a year in which an apprentice traveled and improved his skills before settling down to the practice of his trade.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for wanderjahr

Historical Examples

  • Perchance, my Wanderjahr has not arrived, but you cannot wait for that.

    The Writings of Henry David Thoreau, Volume VI, Familiar Letters

    Henry David Thoreau

  • I am reading the "Wanderjahr,"   having finished the "Lehrjahr."

    Records of Later Life

    Frances Ann Kemble

  • A Wanderjahr for the working-man would do much to cement the unity of western civilization.

  • After the University and after my wanderjahr, I thought it would be another easy task to come here, and 'learn the business.'

  • After leaving Russia the young poet spent the rest of his Wanderjahr in Italy.

British Dictionary definitions for wanderjahr

Wanderjahr

noun plural -jahre (-jaːrə)
  1. (formerly) a year in which an apprentice travelled to improve his skills
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Word Origin

German, literally: wander year
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012