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Polonius

American  
[puh-loh-nee-uhs] / pəˈloʊ ni əs /

noun

  1. the sententious father of Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet.


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.

To keep up the “Hamlet” ties, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern show up, as a pair of henchmen trying to stop Scarlet, and there are cameos by Laertes and his father, Polonius.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

Bushy-browed Waterston began his acting career as a stage actor in New York with a number of Shakespeare roles, including Lear, Hamlet, Polonius, Laertes, Prospero, Leonato, Prince Hal, Silvius, Cloten and Benedict.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 2, 2024

His Polonius prates on foolishly without losing his essential dignity.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2022

In his death throes, Polonius sings the lines about the play-within-the-play that both he and the chorus have earlier sung.

From New York Times • May 6, 2022

Then he, the wise Polonius, would be advanced for his good counsel.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

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