The 81-year-old Adonis accepted the award on Sunday in Frankfurt.
Born Ali Ahmad Said in northern Syria, Adonis fled his homeland for political reasons as a young man. He now lives in Paris but still writes in Arabic.
The jury praised Adonis for bringing modern European ideas and critical thinking into current Arab culture by using classic poetic images based in the traditions of Arabic poets.
The Goethe Prize, worth €50,000 ($72,000), is awarded every three years on Aug. 28 — Goethe’s birthday — to someone whose works are deemed to reflect the spirit of the German literary giant.