Fräulein

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See also: fraulein and Fraulein

German

Etymology

Middle High German vrouwelīn (“mistress, young unmarried noblewoman”), equivalent to Frau +‎ -lein

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfʁɔʏ̯laɪ̯n/ Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "standard" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E.
  • IPA(key): /ˈfʁɔlaɪ̯n/ Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "colloquially, especially northern and central Germany" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E.
  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ̯n

Noun

German Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia de

Fräulein n (genitive Fräuleins, plural Fräulein or Fräuleins)

  1. diminutive of Frau (but not freely applicable)
  2. (dated, address for an unmarried woman) miss
    Guten Morgen, Fräulein Schmitz!
    Good morning, Miss Schmitz!
  3. miss, young woman (especially a shop assistant)
    Würden Sie mir kurz helfen, junges Fräulein!
    Would you help me please, miss!
  4. young lady, missy (said jokingly or rebukingly to a little girl)
    So, jetzt reicht's aber, Fräulein!
    All right, that's enough, young lady!

Usage notes

  • Fräulein as a formal address for an unmarried woman is now uncommon and considered disrespectful and sexist by some. Frau is the normal address for all women.
  • As an informal address for a girl or young woman whose name one does not know, particularly a shop assistant, the word is still fairly common, though chiefly restricted to older speakers. It is advisable to avoid it in order to be on the safe side.

Declension

Template:de-decl-noun-n

Descendants

  • English: fraulein, Fraulein
  • Esperanto: ‎fraŭlino

Further reading

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