Johnsonian

American  

[jon-soh-nee-uhn] / dʒɒnˈsoʊ ni ən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Samuel Johnson or his works.

2. having the quality of Johnsonese.

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noun

1. a person who writes in the Johnsonian style.

2. a teacher or critic who specializes in the works of Samuel Johnson.

Johnsonian British  

/ dʒɒnˈsəʊnɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Samuel Johnson, his works, or his style of writing

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Other Word Forms

• Johnsonianism
  noun
• post-Johnsonian
  adjective
• Johnsonianly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of Johnsonian

First recorded in 1785–95; Johnson + -ian

Example Sentences

This was a very Johnsonian example of self-promotion.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2022

Carney owned his actions by saying what he said was “petty, mean and hurtful” rather than indulging in the weasel words of the Johnsonian faux apology.

From The Guardian • Dec. 27, 2017

That’s because the idea of excellence, and the fundamental view of the arts held by Kennedy himself, are a bit of an embarrassment in today’s democratically minded Johnsonian age of American arts.

From Washington Post • Jun. 19, 2017

This was a case where Clinton needed to be more Johnsonian.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 12, 2015

His parabola starts at the seventeenth century, rises to its maximum somewhere about the Johnsonian period, continues with scarcely abated vigour as far as Thackeray and Carlyle, declines towards Trollope and—ends.

From An Ocean Tramp by McFee, William