Faustian

[ fou-stee-uhn ]

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Faust: a Faustian novel.

  2. sacrificing spiritual values for power, knowledge, or material gain: a Faustian pact with the Devil.

  1. characterized by spiritual dissatisfaction or torment.

  2. possessed with a hunger for knowledge or mastery.

Origin of Faustian

1
First recorded in 1875–80; Faust + -ian

Words Nearby Faustian

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use Faustian in a sentence

  • Each transaction in the transient corresponds to a pragmatics that transforms the Faustian promise into an advertising slogan.

British Dictionary definitions for Faustian

Faustian

/ (ˈfaʊstɪən) /


adjective
  1. of or relating to Faust, esp reminiscent of his bargain with the devil

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012