noun
Frau
frow
Frau (noun) means a title used before the surname of a German-speaking woman, equivalent to "Mrs." or "Ms.". Example: “The letter was addressed to Frau Schmidt.”
noun
1
A title used before the surname of a German-speaking woman, equivalent to "Mrs." or "Ms."
"His gifts as an impassioned speaker had brought him to the notice of some wealthy society ladies (Frauen Bechstein, Hofmann and Wagner), who lionised him and tolerated his cranky behaviour as that of a budding genius."
— Margaret Cook, The Military Celibate (2002)
"The letter was addressed to Frau Schmidt."
"We met our landlords-to-be, Frau and Herr Friedrich, themselves émigrés from the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia."
— Joel M. Levin, Our Beguine: The Dance of Life (2015)
2
A woman, especially a German woman (sometimes used humorously in English).
"It presents Dürer’s mother as a sharp-nosed, world-weary German frau looking wryly out at life from under a decorous wimple."
— Grace Glueck, Fun With Studio Crafts: When the Traditional Gets Quirky (2007)
"His frau greeted us warmly at the door."
How to use Frau
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe German equivalent of "Mrs." or "madam."
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Word forms
- Plural
- Frauen, Fraus
Fill the gap
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The letter was addressed to _____ Schmidt.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from German Frau, "woman, wife."
Rhymes for Frau
See all rhymes for Frau →Frequently asked questions
What does “Frau” mean?
The word “Frau” means a title used before the surname of a German-speaking woman, equivalent to "Mrs." or "Ms.". In plain terms, the German equivalent of "Mrs." or "madam.".
How do you pronounce “Frau”?
“Frau” is pronounced frow (/fɹaʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “Frau” in a sentence?
Here is “Frau” used in a sentence: “The letter was addressed to Frau Schmidt.”
What part of speech is “Frau”?
“Frau” is a noun.
Where does the word “Frau” come from?
The word “Frau” comes from German. Borrowed directly from German Frau, "woman, wife.".
How many meanings does “Frau” have?
“Frau” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a title used before the surname of a German-speaking woman, equivalent to "Mrs." or "Ms.".
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