Johnsonese

American  

[jon-suh-neez, -nees] / ˌdʒɒn səˈniz, -ˈnis /

noun

1. a literary style characterized by rhetorically balanced, often pompous phraseology and an excessively Latinate vocabulary: so called from the style of writing practiced by Samuel Johnson.

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Etymology

Origin of Johnsonese

First recorded in 1835–45; (Samuel) Johnson + -ese

Example Sentences

The literary style of Mary Wollstonecraft's book is Johnsonese, but its thought forms the base of all that has come after.

From Project Gutenberg

When he wrote for publication he did his sentences out of English into Johnsonese.

From Project Gutenberg