Shakespearean

American  

[sheyk-speer-ee-uhn] / ʃeɪkˈspɪər i ən /

Or Shakespearian

adjective

1. of, relating to, or suggestive of Shakespeare or his works.

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noun

1. a Shakespearean scholar; a specialist in the study of the works of Shakespeare.

Shakespearean British  

/ ʃeɪkˈspɪərɪən /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Shakespeare or his works

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noun

1. a student of or specialist in Shakespeare's works

Other Word Forms

• Shakespeareanism
  noun
• Shakespearianism
  noun
• half-Shakespearean
  adjective
• non-Shakespearean
  adjective
• non-Shakespearian
  adjective
• post-Shakespearean
  adjective
• post-Shakespearian
  adjective
• pre-Shakespearean
  adjective
• pre-Shakespearian
  adjective
• pseudo-Shakespearean
  adjective
• pseudo-Shakespearian
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Shakespearean

First recorded in 1810–20; Shakespeare + -an

Example Sentences

Just before his dinner toast, Charles quoted a Shakespearean plea for peace -- but ended with a winking reference.

From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026

It will include regional accents delivering Shakespearean dialogue, punctuated by hit pop music and original songs.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

Wildly digressive, buzzing with literary allusions and telling its story as a 20th-century Shakespearean tragedy, the book has some of the mad, restless energy of Sellers himself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

The Milan-Cortina Games represented seemingly every Shakespearean theme.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

Celia can make out snatches of Shakespearean sonnets and fragments of hymns to Greek goddesses as the poetry fills the tent.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern