donnish

[ don-ish ]

/ ˈdɒn ɪʃ /

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See synonyms for donnish on Thesaurus.com

adjective

resembling or characteristic of a university don; scholarly; pedantic.

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Origin of donnish

First recorded in 1845–50; don¹ + -ish¹

OTHER WORDS FROM donnish

don·nish·ly, adverbdon·nish·ness, noundonnism, noun

Words nearby donnish

donnée, Donne, John, Donnelly, Donner Pass, donnert, donnish, donny, donnybrook, Donnybrook Fair, do no good, donor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use donnish in a sentence

Vartan, who died last week at 87, was a learned man to be sure, but never a donnish one.
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities: The Bountiful Life of Vartan Gregorian|Richard Stengel|April 18, 2021|Time
He had known dons at Oxford, and placed Lady Latimer in the donnish caste: that was all.
The Vicissitudes of Bessie Fairfax|Harriet Parr
Never were dons of the donnish sort more brilliantly twitted than by young Belloc.
Shandygaff|Christopher Morley
Some of Southeys donnish ways to the irrepressible lad were superlatively exasperating.
The Real Shelley, Vol. I (of 2)|John Cordy Jeaffreson

"Really, Miss Allison——" he began in his most dignified Oxford donnish manner.
A House Party with the Tucker Twins|Nell Speed
I do not know whether I am donnish with him, or if I bullied him too much when he was little; but he is always counter to me.
The Pillars of the House, Vol. I (of 2)|Charlotte M. Yonge

British Dictionary definitions for donnish

donnish

/ (ˈdɒnɪʃ) /

adjective

of or resembling a university don

Derived forms of donnish

donnishly, adverbdonnishness, noun

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

donnish

Origin of donnish

OTHER WORDS FROM donnish

Words nearby donnish

Words related to donnish

How to use donnish in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for donnish

Derived forms of donnish