Faust

American  

[foust] / faʊst /

noun

1. Johann c1480–c1538, German magician, alchemist, and astrologer.

2. the chief character of a medieval legend, represented as selling his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power.

3. (italics) a tragedy by Goethe (Part 1, 1808; Part 2, 1832).

4. (italics) an opera (1859) by Charles Gounod.

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Faust British  

/ ˈfaʊstəs, faʊst /

noun

1. German legend a magician and alchemist who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power

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Faust Cultural  

1. A legendary sixteenth-century magician and practitioner of alchemy, who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for youth, knowledge, and power. Christopher Marlowe, a sixteenth-century English poet, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote famous plays about him.

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Discover More

A “Faustian” bargain is one in which a person is willing to make extreme sacrifices for power or knowledge without considering the ultimate cost.

Example Sentences

“I wish we got more of Andrée’s perspective,” remarks one reader, Hannah Faust.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026

Saul Faust, professor of paediatric immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Southampton, said norovirus "placed a huge burden on healthcare systems".

From BBC • Oct. 22, 2024

“Ophelia’s Got Talent” jointly won Germany’s Faust prize for best dance production last year, cementing Holzinger’s status as one of Europe’s rising theater stars.

From New York Times • May 28, 2024

The release did not indicate what led investigators to Faust or explain how or whether he and Baker knew each other.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024

He has been chewing over this idea that I can “buy” time in exchange for bits of my soul, and he wondered if I likened myself to Faust.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein