Elster

== English == === Etymology === Borrowed from German Elster. === Proper noun === Elster (plural Elsters) A surname from German. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Statistics ==== According to the 2010 United States Census, Elster is the 39555th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 556 individuals. Elster is most common among White (91.19%) individuals. === Further reading === Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Elster”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 1, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 524. === Anagrams === Ertels, streel, relets, Selter, Lester, re-lets, Ertles == German == === Etymology === From Middle High German elster, alster, agelster, from Old High German agalstra, from Proto-West Germanic *agastrijā (“magpie”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈʔɛlstɐ/ Hyphenation: Els‧ter; pre-1996: El‧ster === Noun === Elster f (genitive Elster, plural Elstern) magpie "Die diebische Elster" ― "The Thieving Magpie" (Opera by Rossini) ==== Usage notes ==== In the folklore of German-speaking Europe (as well as many other parts of Europe), the magpie is accused of being in the habit of stealing small objects such as jewellery, coins, etc. Therefore the bird is often called diebische Elster (“thieving magpie”), and this epithet is also used jocularly to describe someone who takes or borrows things without asking. ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== elstern === Further reading === “Elster” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache