Frauenzimmer

German

Etymology

From Middle High German vrouwenzimmer; Frau (“woman”) +‎ -en- +‎ Zimmer (“room”). Originally (in the 15th century) denoting a woman's room, then her things and (in the 16th century) her attendants, and then (in the 17th century) an individual woman, often one of low status, for which reason the term started to become derogatory. Compare Danish fruentimmer and Swedish fruntimmer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈfʁaʊ̯ənˌtsɪmɐ]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Frauenzimmer n (genitive Frauenzimmers, plural Frauenzimmer)

1. (now chiefly derogatory or humorous) woman

Further reading

• “Frauenzimmer” in Duden online