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euphuism

(yo̵̅o̅′fyo̵̅o̅ iz′əm)

noun

the artificial, affected, high-flown style of speaking or writing used by John Lyly and his imitators, characterized by alliteration, balanced sentences, far-fetched figures of speech, etc.
any artificial, high-flown style of speech or writing
an instance of this

Origin: < Euphues, fictitious character in two prose romances by John Lyly < Gr euphyēs, shapely, graceful < eu- (see eu-) + phyē, growth < phyein, to grow (see bondage) + -ism

Related Forms:

euphuist noun

See euphuism in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

An affectedly elegant literary style of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, characterized by elaborate alliteration, antitheses, and similes.
Affected elegance of language.

Origin:

Origin: After Euphues, a character in Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit and Euphues and his England by John Lyly

Origin: , from Greek euphuēs, shapely

Origin: : eu-, eu-

Origin: + phuein, to grow, bring forth; see bheuə- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: