German

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Alternative forms

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  • Alptraum (sole standard spelling until 1996; now less common)

Etymology

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Alb +‎ Traum, because nightmares in some forms of German folklore are thought to be caused by an elf sitting on one's chest while one slept.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈalptʁaʊ̯m/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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Albtraum m (strong, genitive Albtraumes or Albtraums, plural Albträume)

  1. nightmare
    Synonyms: Albdruck, Albdrücken
    Er leidet an schweren Albträumen.
    He suffers from severe nightmares.

Usage notes

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Declension

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Further reading

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  • Albtraum” in Duden online
  • Albtraum” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  NODES
Note 4