Goethe

American  

[gur-tuh, gœ-tuh] / ˈgɜr tə, ˈgœ tə /

noun

1. Johann Wolfgang von 1749–1832, German poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher.

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Goethe British  

/ ˈɡøːtə /

noun

1. Johann Wolfgang von (joˈhan ˈvɔlfɡaŋ fɔn). 1749–1832, German poet, novelist, and dramatist, who settled in Weimar in 1775. His early works of the Sturm und Drang period include the play Götz von Berlichingen (1773) and the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774). After a journey to Italy (1786–88) his writings, such as the epic play Iphigenie auf Tauris (1787) and the epic idyll Hermann und Dorothea (1797), showed the influence of classicism. Other works include the Wilhelm Meister novels (1796–1829) and his greatest masterpiece Faust (1808; 1832)

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Other Word Forms

• Goethean
  adjective
• Goethian
  adjective

Example Sentences

Rezzolla, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at Goethe University, emphasizes that exploring alternatives does not mean rejecting black holes.

From Science Daily • Jun. 14, 2026

Scientists have uncovered hidden fossil insects inside pieces of amber that once belonged to the famed German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

He adds a slight introduction revealing Egmont’s indecisiveness, but otherwise sticks to Goethe.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

Karp’s track record included a PhD in neoclassical social theory from Goethe University Frankfurt.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 25, 2025

A half hour later, Werner and Frederick are reading Goethe in poetics.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr