Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The style or language of Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709–84), or an imitation of it; a pompous, inflated style, characterized by words of classical origin (often manufactured).
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The literary style of Dr. Samuel Johnson, or one formed in imitation of it; an inflated, stilted, or pompous style, affecting classical words.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word johnsonese.
Examples
-
Your practice of johnsonese is amusing, but seriously I have to move on, this is getting way out of the scope of this thread, besides I have things to do.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.