Falstaff

American  

[fawl-staf, -stahf] / ˈfɔl stæf, -stɑf /

noun

1. Sir John, the jovial, fat knight of brazen assurance and few scruples in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and The Merry Wives of Windsor.

2. (italics) an opera (1893) by Giuseppe Verdi, with a libretto by Arrigo Boito based on the Shakespearean character.

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Falstaff Cultural  

1. An endearing, fat, aging rogue who appears in several of the plays of William Shakespeare. He is prominent in the two parts of King Henry the Fourth, where he is the jolly companion of Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. Falstaff is a lover of wine, women, and song; although a coward in practice, he loves to tell tales of his supposed bravery.

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Example Sentences

That dichotomy made Hill wonder how he could convince his boss, coach Jim Wagner, to motivate Falstaff to do more while rewarding Chinen with more playing time.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2025

Like Falstaff, he is convinced of his own importance.

From Salon • Oct. 2, 2024

The role of Sir John Falstaff will be played instead by David Semark, who plays Sir Richard Vernon, but is also Sir Ian's understudy, the play's production team said.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2024

In the “sweet creature of bombast” that is this play’s John Falstaff, McKellen has an especially juicy assignment — an outsized character whose appetite for life matches the actor’s own gusto.

From New York Times • Apr. 12, 2024

Falstaff will never be decorous: and he is cast off.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith