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Fräulein

Fräulein

1 9.9
A German title for an unmarried woman now seen as old fashioned
  • noun
  • /ˈfrɔɪlaɪn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : señorita
  • This is Fräulein Rahm.

Examples

Synonyms

mademoiselle
vsFräulein
  • Formal
53 8.2

A French word for a young or unmarried woman

is now mainly historical and considered old-fashioned instead of common address
demoiselle
vsFräulein
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A young unmarried woman in old stories

is a specific title used for address rather than a general literary label
damoiselle
vsFräulein
  • Archaic
9.9

A young unmarried woman who appears in old stories

is a formal title used in address rather than a simple archaic noun

Surface Forms

Fräulein singular
Fräuleins plural

Etymology

Fräulein comes from the German Frau meaning 'woman' plus the small ending -lein, so it originally meant 'little woman' or a young/unmarried woman. Think of -lein like the English ending -ling, as in 'duckling', which makes something smaller; that is why Fräulein was like 'Miss' but today sounds old-fashioned or too familiar.