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
• Johnsonianly
  adverb
• post-Johnsonian
  adjective

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

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

He leaves the interview in a flurry of Johnsonian charm and self-deprecation.

From The Guardian • Oct. 18, 2014

One may agree with Sainte-Beuve in thinking that "orthography is the beginning of literature," without discovering in these modifications from the Johnsonian canon any cause for extreme disgust.

From Americanisms and Briticisms with other essays on other isms by Matthews, Brander