Skip to content

gretchen

Gretchen (name/type)

noun GRETCH-en Rare
Arts & Culture Literature

Origin: German diminutive of Margarete

Also means

naive young woman (stereotype)

Usage Note

Gretchen is a German feminine name that entered French cultural vocabulary partly through Goethe's 'Faust,' where Gretchen (Marguerite) is the innocent young woman seduced by Faust. In French literary or theatrical contexts it can evoke a stock character of naive femininity. Its use in everyday French is rare and always culturally loaded.

Examples

"Elle joue le rôle de Gretchen dans la pièce."

Natural Translation

She plays the role of Gretchen in the play.

Explore French by topic