Meldrew

British

/ ˈmɛldruː /

noun

informal a person, esp a middle-aged or elderly man, who is habitually peevish, pessimistic, and cynical; curmudgeon

"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

Other Word Forms

Meldrewish

adjective

Etymology

Origin of Meldrew

C20: named after Victor Meldrew , curmudgeonly hero of the 1990s BBC television situation comedy One Foot in the Grave , written by David Renwick

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Meldrew

But after years of disappointing albums plagued with turgid stadium pop, it was just exciting to hear Eminem sound so fired up again – he makes for a very convincing Victor Meldrew.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 20, 2020

See, suddenly even I’m channelling the harrumphing pessimism of Victor Meldrew or Alf Garnett.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 17, 2016

Anyone else got any cherished Victor Meldrew moments - 'I don't believe it' - from following English sport?

From The Guardian ● Dec. 8, 2012

As it is, with or without his sideburns, Wiggo is fast turning into a champion curmudgeon – the Victor Meldrew of international cycling.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 18, 2012

Before he was Victor Meldrew, Richard Wilson was Mr Clockerty, the band's devious, penny-pinching manager.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 9, 2010

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023