frei

See also: -frei, Frei, freí, and fréi

German

Alternative forms

  • frey (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle High German vrî, Old High German frî, from Proto-West Germanic *frī. Compare Dutch vrij, English free, Danish fri.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /fʁaɪ̯/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ̯

Adjective

frei (strong nominative masculine singular freier, comparative freier, superlative am freiesten or am freisten)

  1. free; unenslaved; unimprisoned
    Antonym: unfrei
  2. free; unrestricted; more negative also: unrestrained; licentious
    Synonyms: ungezwungen, ungebunden
  3. unblocked; free for passage
  4. independent; unaffiliated
  5. (with von) free of (not containing or unaffected by)
    • Friedrich Karl Kasimir, Freiherr von Creuz, Neujahrsgedanken (from: Die geistliche Dichtung von Luther bis Klopstock. Ausgewählt von Paul Pressel. Einzelausgabe der evangelischen Volksbibliothek. Herausgegeben von Dr. Klaider, Stuttgart, 1864, page 933):
      Wer schläft und ist von Sorgen freier?
      Der Tod belauscht die stille Nacht
      So wie des Nilstroms Ungeheuer
      Des Ufers Schilf unsicher macht.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  6. (not freely applicable) liberal
    Synonyms: liberal, freiheitlich
  7. (not freely applicable; see usage notes) free of charge, gratis
    Synonyms: kostenlos, gratis

Usage notes

  • Frei can mean “free of charge” only in the context of public services, e.g. freie Krankenversorgung ("free medical care"), and in some fixed expressions such as Freibier (free beer) or freie Kost und Logis (free board and lodge). Otherwise, kostenlos should be used.

Declension

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Romanian: frai

Further reading

  • frei” in Duden online
  • frei” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Luxembourgish

Verb

frei

  1. second-person singular imperative of freien

Pennsylvania German

Etymology

From Middle High German vrī, from Old High German frī. Compare German frei, Dutch vrij, English free.

Adjective

frei

  1. free
  2. exempt
  3. clear

Portuguese

Pronunciation

  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈfɾej/ [ˈfɾeɪ̯]
 

  • Hyphenation: frei

Noun

frei m (plural freis)

  1. Alternative form of freire
    Frei Luís de Sousa
    Brother Luís de Sousa.

Scots

Etymology

From Old English frēo.

Adjective

frei (comparative freier, superlative freiist)

  1. (South Scots, archaic) free

Sranan Tongo

Etymology

From English fly.

Verb

frei

  1. fly

Noun

frei

  1. wing
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