An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Annotated/Fratze

by Friedrich Kluge

Fratze, feminine, ‘grimace, distortions, caricature,’ feminine, Modern High German only, whence Dutch fratsen, feminine plural, ‘grimaces, distortions,’ is borrowed. The absence of the word in Old High German and Middle High German favours the supposition that it was borrowed, and we are compelled to accept that view, since it is impossible to trace the word to a satisfactory Teutonic source; the proposed derivation from Anglo-Saxon frœtwe, feminine plural, ‘work of art, ornaments (carvings?),’ is phonetically impossible. The word might be finally derived from Italian frasche, plural, French frasgues, ‘tricks, hoax.’