Monday, December 31, 2012

falstaffian



falstaffian [fɔlˈstæfiən] a.

1.) Characterized by joviality and conviviality (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language).

Etymology: After Sir John Falstaff, a character in Henry IV, Parts I and II, and The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare.

"An affable Irregular,
A heavily-built Falstaffian man,
Comes cracking jokes of civil war
As though to die by gunshot were
The finest play under the sun."
("Meditations in Time of Civil War", William Butler Yeats, 1923)

(Falstaff in the Laundry Basket, Henri Fuseli, 1792)

3 comments:

Meri said...

I hope your New Year's celebration was falstaffian!

DEZMOND said...

oh, Edmund, Falstaff was such a lovely character, glad to hear a word has originated from his name

Bibi said...

I wish I felt more falstaffian at the moment. Exams are such a nuisance. I want cake.
^ tired ramblings.

Oh hey! Happy New Year!

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