Word of the Week: Purzelbaum
January 13, 2016
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You probably already know the German word for "tree," which is Baum. But if you find a Purzelbaum, literally “tumbling tree,” in Germany, you’re more likely to be in a children’s playroom than in a forest.
A Purzelbaum is the German version of a somersault: you bend your head down to your toes and then you tumble along the floor, rolling like a ball. Adults can do it too of course, though it might not be as cute.