goethe

goethe — noun

1. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), a German writer best known for the tragi

1.nounB2
Definition

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), a German writer best known for the tragic play 'Faust' and the novel 'The Sorrows of Young Werther', whose work deeply influenced Western literature and philosophy.

Example

Andrei wrote his university thesis on Goethe's Faust and its influence on modern theatre.

collocation: Goethe's Faust / Goethe's works

When studying Romanticism, students often begin with Goethe's novel The Sorrows of Young Werther.

collocation: studying Goethe / Goethe's novel

Common collocations
  • Goethe's works
  • Goethe's Faust
  • by Goethe
  • of Goethe
  • Goethe's poetry
  • Goethe's plays
  • the Goethe era
  • Goethe's influence

Usage Note

In English, 'Goethe' is typically used with a definite article only when referring to his collected works ('the Goethe of the Sturm und Drang period'). When referring to the person, no article is used: 'Goethe wrote...' not 'the Goethe wrote...'.

Common Mistakes

Johann Goethe von Wolfgang
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
the middle name 'Wolfgang' comes before 'von', and 'von' is lowercase.
Goethe's poem is very romantic.' (without context)
Goethe's poem 'The Erl-King' is a famous German ballad.
specifying which work helps the reader understand the reference.

Word family

  • Goethean
    adjectiveC1

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Goethe's works
  • Goethe's Faust
  • Goethe's poetry
  • Goethe's plays

Phrases

  • the Goethe era
  • Goethe's influence
  • the Goethe National Museum

Prepositions

  • by Goethe
  • of Goethe

Etymology

Old High GermanGermanEnglish

Goethe is a German surname. The name comes from the Old High German 'Goto' or 'Gode', meaning 'god', combined with a diminutive suffix. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) is so famous that his surname alone stands for his literary legacy across the world.