German query

[petrusplancius]

I have a German text from the 1840s in which a rather sinister man, who turned out to be a murderer, is described as having looked like 'ein Adept'? What do you think would make a good translation of this word? I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Comments

[klausnick]

alchemist; hermetist;

[petrusplancius]

Thank you, an adept of the magic/secret arts.

[trobadora]

Isn't it the same word in English?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adept

[petrusplancius]

Yes indeed, but there is an idiom in this German usage that isn't found in English, involving a reference to a specific thing at which the person is pictured as being adept; and I think that one would never refer to someone as being 'an adept' in Englsih without further specificiation. It is actually rather unusual to use the word in English as a noun rather than an adjective.

[magaretnahmias]

Not necessarily. It could be a false friend like gift which poison in German.

[ami_ven]

Not having any real grasp of German... might it be something like "mad scientist", like in the old horror movies?

[petrusplancius]

It has been suggested above that he is to be imagined as being adept in an occult art or 'science', which sounds right; a staring mad scientist type actually sounds close to what is intended.

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