Definition of Frankenstein

The word "Frankenstein" derives from the eponymous protagonist in Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein." However, the name itself is not German, as many people might assume. In fact, Victor Frankenstein is a British character, and his last name is actually anglified from the German "Frankensteiner," meaning "the stone (stein) from Franken" (Franken being a region in present-day Bavaria, Germany). The precise origin of the word is somewhat unclear, but it likely comes from the fact that Franken was home to a number of quarry sites in medieval times, where limestone blocks were excavated and used in construction projects. The stone from these quarries came to be known as "Frankenstein," and the word eventually lost its literal meaning in favor of a figurative one. Interestingly, it is also possible that the character's last name was inspired by another literary figure, a character named Adam E Hungryden Frankenausen (Hungry Adam Frankenhausen) in Johannes von Muller's play "Hermann und Dorothea." In this play, Hungry Adam's last name also contains the word "Frankenstein." Regardless of its exact origins, the name "Frankenstein" has become indelibly linked to horror and science fiction, thanks in large part to the enduring popularity of Mary Shelley's novel and the numerous film and television adaptations that followed.