פֿראַלע

Yiddish

Etymology

פֿרוי (froy, “miss; woman”) (pronounced *פֿראַו (*frau) in Western Yiddish) suffixed with a diminutive cognate to ־עלע (-ele), morphologically (but not semantically) equivalent to German Fräulein.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfraːlə/

Noun

פֿראַלע • (frale) f, plural פֿראַלעס (frales)

1. (Western Yiddish, now chiefly Alsace and pockets near Amsterdam) grandmother

   Synonyms: (Eastern Yiddish) באָבע (bobe), אָמאַ (oma), גראָסמאַמאַ (grosmama), (much of Western Yiddish, but also pockets in Eastern Europe) גראָסמוטער (grosmuter), גרויסמוטער (groysmuter)

   Coordinate term: האַרלע (harle, “(Western Yiddish) grandfather”)

Usage notes

• Like האַרלע (harle), seems to be used by German non-Jews (but not Jews) near Frankfurt, as *Fraale or *Fraile.