Danish

Alternative forms

• Grethe

Proper noun

Grete

1. A female given name shortened from Margrete, Margrethe.

References

• Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 10 098 females with the given name Grete (compared to 37 237 named Grethe) have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 1940s. Accessed on 19 May, 2011.

Estonian

Proper noun

Grete

1. A female given name, a cognate of English Margaret or Greta.

Related terms

• Greete, Reet

German

Proper noun

Grete

1. A female given name derived from Margarete.

Norwegian

Proper noun

Grete

1. A female given name derived from Margrete, variant spelling of Grethe.
2. Gretel, the girl in the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.

References

• Statistisk sentralbyrå, Namnestatistikk: 9 448 females with the given name Grete (compared to 9940 named Grethe) living in Norway on January 1st 2011, with the frequency peak in the 1940s. Accessed on 19 May, 2011.

Middle English

Adjective

grete ‎(superlative grettis)

1. great; massive; amazing
   • 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41

     And I seide, “Ser, in his tyme maister Ioon Wiclef was holden of ful many men the grettis clerk that thei knewen lyuynge vpon erthe. And therwith he was named, as I gesse worthili, a passing reuli man and an innocent in al his lyuynge. And herfore grete men of kunnynge and other also drowen myche to him, and comownede ofte with him. And thei sauouriden so his loore that thei wroten it bisili and enforsiden hem to rulen hem theraftir… Maister Ion Aston taughte and wroot acordingli and ful bisili, where and whanne and to whom he myghte, and he vsid it himsilf, I gesse, right perfyghtli vnto his lyues eende. Also Filip of Repintoun whilis he was a chanoun of Leycetre, Nycol Herforde, dane Geffrey of Pikeringe, monke of Biland and a maistir dyuynyte, and Ioon Purueye, and manye other whiche weren holden rightwise men and prudent, taughten and wroten bisili this forseide lore of Wiclef, and conformeden hem therto. And with alle these men I was ofte homli and I comownede with hem long tyme and fele, and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew. And herfore of Wicleef speciali and of these men I toke the lore whiche I haue taughte and purpose to lyue aftir, if God wole, to my lyues ende.”