Bildungsroman Definition

bildyo͝oŋzrōmän

bildungsromans

noun

A novel whose principal subject is the moral, psychological, and intellectual development of a usually youthful main character.

American Heritage

A novel that details the maturation, and specif. the psychological development and moral education, of the principal character.

Webster's New World

A novel tracing the spiritual, moral, psychological, or social development and growth of the main character, usually from childhood to maturity.

Wiktionary

Alternative capitalization of bildungsroman.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Bildungsroman

Singular:

bildungsroman

Plural:

bildungsromane, bildungsromans

German Bildung formation (from Middle High German bildunge) (from Old High German bildunga) (from bilidōn to shape) (from bilōdi form, shape) Roman novel (from French a story in the vernacular, novel roman)

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Borrowing from German Bildungsroman, from Bildung, from bildunge, from bildunga, from bilidon (“to shape”), from bilodi (“form, shape”), + Roman (“novel”), from French, roman (“novel”). Hence "novel of education" or "novel of formation".

From Wiktionary
German term coined c. 1820 by Johann Carl Simon Morgenstern; titled an 1820 text Über das Wesen des Bildungsromans.

From Wiktionary

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