Falstaffian
[fal-STAF-ee-ən]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: British English, early 19th century
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. Through the transition from a proper noun to adjective, the word has come to describe people similar to Falstaff (rotund and jolly).
Did you Know?
The character Sir John Falstaff appears in three of Shakespeare's 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.
