
Falstaffian
[fall-STAF-ee-ən]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Unknown, 1800s
1.
Relating to or resembling Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff in being fat, jolly, and debauched.
Examples of Falstaffian in a sentence
"The Falstaffian lion barely moved when the safari truck drew near."
"Despite a Falstaffian reputation, he could quickly become very serious."
About Falstaffian
The word Falstaffian developed from William Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff. In transition from a proper noun to adjective, the word has come to describe people similar to Falstaff (rotund and jolly).
Did you Know?
William Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff appears in a grand total of three plays — Henry IV, Henry V, and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Falstaff was predominantly used by the Bard as comic relief, though he does show brief depth of character.
