rumspringa
5
9.9
- noun
- /ˈrʌmˌsprɪŋə/
- US
- After finishing high school, she took a year of rumspringa to travel and experience life in the city.
- rumspringa time
- still in rumspringa
Examples
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Well, most come back after rumspringa.
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And then when I was a few years older, I was able to go on rumspringa.
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Just one day into his rumspringa—the no-rules year when Amish teens are allowed to experience life outside their faith—he "dropped the bomb" on his parents.
Blog text (10) -
The Amish do allow their children to leave after giving them complete freedom for a year (rumspringa), and they are required to provide them with schooling, though they are allowed to terminate that schooling at an earlier age than other groups because they are a separatist community.
Blog text (6) -
During their rumspringa, many Amish teenagers explore the world beyond their community.
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The rumspringa period is an important time for Amish youth to discover their own identities before deciding on baptism.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A period when someone tries to join a group, especially a religious community, before becoming a member
Surface Forms
Etymology
Rumspringa comes from Pennsylvania German and literally means 'running around', from rum 'around' and springen 'to jump or run'. So, rumspringa is a time when Amish teenagers are free to see the outside world and 'run around' before they decide to join the church.