Plural of frau; the German word for married women or a respectful form of address equivalent to 'Mrs.'
From German 'Frau' (woman, wife), derived from Old High German 'frouwa' meaning lady or mistress. The term has been used for centuries in German-speaking regions.
Unlike English which kept separate 'Miss' and 'Mrs.' for centuries, German streamlined to 'Frau' for all adult women—a practical linguistic change that reflects modern social attitudes about women not being defined by marital status.
German Frau denotes married women; paired with Fräulein creates binary marital status categories with no male equivalent, enforcing women's identity through spousal relation.
Use person's name or professional title; in German, Frau is now standard regardless of marital status (modern shift).
["person's name","professional title","Frau (modern German usage)"]
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