Frankenstein

== English == === Etymology === From German Frankenstein, various places named for Franken (“Franks, Frankish”) + Stein (“stone”). The use of referencing mad scientists derives from Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus, where Victor Frankenstein assembles a man from pieces of various corpses and brings him to life with electricity. Use of the reference to the monster itself is an ellipsis of the earlier Frankenstein's monster, with the monster's usual modern appearance derived from Boris Karloff's performance in the 1931 film Frankenstein. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈfɹæŋ.kən.staɪn/, /ˈfɹæŋ.kən.ʃtaɪn/, /-kɪn-/ Rhymes: -aɪn === Proper noun === Frankenstein (countable and uncountable, plural Frankensteins) Various small towns in Germany. (historical) Former name of Ząbkowice Śląskie: a town in Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland. (countable) A surname from German. (fiction) Victor Frankenstein, a fictional character and the main protagonist and title character in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. Synonyms: Franky / Frankie, Doctor Frankenstein / Dr Frankenstein (fiction, sometimes proscribed) The unnamed monster created by Victor Frankenstein: a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus as the main antagonist. ==== Usage notes ==== Frankenstein was the name of the scientist in Shelley's novel, and the monster was unnamed. Use of Frankenstein as a proper name for the monster is sometimes proscribed as a mistake, although it developed from greater use of the common noun below and from the monster's appearance in other media, usually without the Shelley backstory. ==== Derived terms ==== === Noun === Frankenstein (plural Frankensteins) (sometimes proscribed) A monster composed of body parts from various corpses attached and brought back to life by a mad scientist, typically strong, unable to speak clearly, and misunderstood. Synonyms: Frankenstein's monster / Frankenstein monster / frankenstein monster, Frankensteinian monster / frankensteinian monster, franky / frankie, monster Synonym of mad scientist. Synonyms: Dr Frankenstein / Dr. Frankenstein / Doctor Frankenstein, frankenstein doctor / Frankenstein doctor, frankensteinian doctor / Frankensteinian doctor ==== Usage notes ==== Generally, Frankenstein or frankenstein is used for monsters similar to the one in Shelley's novel. The prefix franken- only refers to misbegotten creations of careless scientists, not the scientists themselves, and use for mad scientists typically needs to be clarified by context or through additional terms like Doctor Frankenstein, Frankenstein doctor, etc. Some speakers, however, sharply disagree and insist that, because Frankenstein was the name of the scientist in the original story, it can only be used for others like him and the monster should only ever be called Frankenstein's monster, etc. ==== Alternative forms ==== frankenstein === Verb === Frankenstein (third-person singular simple present Frankensteins, present participle Frankensteining, simple past and past participle Frankensteined) (transitive, colloquial) To combine two or more similar elements into a consistent entity, or a cohesive idea. ==== Alternative forms ==== frankenstein == French == === Etymology === Borrowed from German Frankenstein. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /fʁɑ̃.kənʃ.tajn/ === Proper noun === Frankenstein m or f a surname from German == German == === Etymology === Literally, “stone of the Franks,” from Franken + Stein. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈfʁaŋkn̩ˌʃtaɪ̯n] IPA(key): [ˈfʁaŋkŋ̩ˌʃtaɪ̯n] === Proper noun === Frankenstein n (proper noun, genitive Frankensteins or (optionally with an article) Frankenstein) a municipality in Kaiserslautern district, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany Any of a number of smaller places in Germany and other European countries. ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== Frankensteiner Frankensteinerin === Proper noun === Frankenstein m or f (proper noun, surname, masculine genitive Frankensteins or (with an article) Frankenstein, feminine genitive Frankenstein, plural Frankensteins) a surname Frankenstein (fictional scientist) Hypernym: verrückter Wissenschaftler Frankenstein (his monster) ==== Declension ==== ==== Descendants ==== == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from German Frankenstein. === Proper noun === Frankenstein m or f by sense a surname from German Frankenstein (fictional scientist) Hypernym: científico loco Frankenstein (his monster)