frouwe

Frouwe is an archaic Dutch noun meaning a lady or mistress. In medieval and early modern Dutch, it served as a formal title or respectful address for noblewomen, wives of lords, or women of high status. The term functions as the feminine counterpart to heer (lord) and is most often found in historical, legal, and literary sources from the Low Countries and neighboring regions. Spelling variants appear in manuscripts as frou, froue, or frouwe, with frouwe being the standard form in many later transcriptions.

Etymology and related forms: Frouwe is of Germanic origin and is cognate with the German word Frau, both reflecting a common root for “lady” or “lady of rank.” The word reflects a social system in which women of noble or elevated status were distinguished by specific honorifics, and it appears across a range of medieval Dutch texts, including chronicles, law codes, and courtly literature.

Usage and context: In contemporary Dutch, frouwe is largely obsolete outside historical discussion, literature, or translations of medieval works. Modern equivalents for everyday use are mevrouw (madam, Mrs.) or simply mevrouw, and vrouw for an adult woman. In English-language scholarship, frouwe is typically translated as “lady” or “the Lady” when describing noblewomen or female figures within feudal or chivalric contexts.

See also: Mevrouw, Vrouw, Heer, Feudal titles, Medieval Dutch literature.