Frankenstein
pronunciation
How to pronounce Frankenstein in British English:
UK [ˈfræŋkənstaɪn]
How to pronounce Frankenstein in American English:
US [ˈfræŋkənˌstaɪn]
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- Noun:
- an agency that escapes control and destroys its creator
- the monster created by Frankenstein in a gothic novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (the creator's name is commonly used to refer to his creation)
- the fictional Swiss scientist who was the protagonist in a gothic novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley; he created a monster from parts of corpses
Word Origin
- Frankenstein (n.)
- allusive use for man-made monsters dates to 1838, from Baron Frankenstein, character in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel "Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus." Commonly taken (mistakenly) as the proper name of the monster, not the creator, and thus franken- extended 1990s as a prefix to mean "non-natural." The German surname is probably literally "Franconian Mountain," stein being used especially for steep, rocky peaks, which in the Rhineland often were crowned with castles. The Shelleys might have passed one in their travels. The German surname also suggests "free stone." Frankenstein is the creator-victim; the creature-despot & fatal creation is Frankenstein's monster. The blunder is very common indeed -- almost, but surely not quite, sanctioned by custom. [Fowler]
Example
- 1. Like victor frankenstein , they defied nature and created a monster .
- 2. Biology is approaching its frankenstein moment the creation of life from scratch .
- 3. Like dr. frankenstein tinkering around in his labs , google has created a monster .
- 4. But I fear we are not so smart as dr. frankenstein .
- 5. In arming the dictator , the us was creating a frankenstein who threatened their influence in the region .