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Frankenstein

American  
[frang-kuhn-stahyn] / ˈfræŋ kənˌstaɪn /

noun

  1. a person who creates a monster or a destructive agency that cannot be controlled or that brings about the creator's ruin.

  2. Also called Frankenstein monster.  the monster or destructive agency itself.

Frankenstein British  
/ ˈfræŋkɪnˌstaɪn /

noun

  1. a person who creates something that brings about his ruin

  2. Also called: Frankenstein's monster.  a thing that destroys its creator

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Frankenstein Cultural  

  1. (1818) A novel by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. The title character, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, makes a manlike monster from parts of cadavers and brings it to life by the power of an electrical charge. Frankenstein's monster is larger than most men and fantastically strong.

Discover More

Frequently the subject of horror films, the monster is usually pictured with an oversized square brow, metal bolts in his neck and forehead, and greenish skin. People often mistakenly refer to the monster, rather than to his creator, as “Frankenstein.”

Other Word Forms

  • Frankensteinian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Frankenstein

First recorded in 1830–40; after a character in Mary Shelley's novel of the same name (1818)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

From “Poor Things” to “Lisa Frankenstein,” what do today’s revisions of Mary Shelley’s immortal tale mean — especially when women are doing the reanimating?

From Los Angeles Times

County was and remains a Frankenstein’s monster, dozens of cities stitched awkwardly together.

From Los Angeles Times

Other winners included Frankenstein, which won three technical prizes - best costume design, production design, and make-up and hairstyling - and racing thriller F1, which won best sound.

From BBC

“Frankenstein’s” Oscars for costume design and makeup and hairstyling are very well deserved.

From Los Angeles Times

Insider info: Jacob Elordi is now Oscar-nominated for playing Frankenstein’s monster, but he was a last-minute replacement for Andrew Garfield, who dropped out.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.