Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A French soldier and dramatist, primarily remembered for engaging in numerous duels (often concerning the size of his nose). He was immortalized as a literary character in 1897 in a verse drama by Edmond Rostand (1619-1655).

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun:
  • The historical Cyrano de Bergerac was known for his wit and skill with a sword.
  • The play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand is a classic of French theater.
  • The character Cyrano de Bergerac is famous for his long nose and eloquent love letters.

Advanced Usage

• "a Cyrano de Bergerac": Used to describe a person who is eloquent, romantic, and perhaps self-conscious about a physical feature, or who helps another person woo someone else by writing letters or speeches for them.
  • He played the role of a modern Cyrano de Bergerac, writing beautiful messages for his shy friend to send.

Variants and Related Words

• Cyrano (noun): A common shorthand or nickname referring to the character from Rostand's play.
  • The actor delivered Cyrano's final monologue with great emotion.

Synonyms

• Wordsmith (noun): A person skilled in using words, especially in writing. (This captures the character's eloquence but not his other traits.)
• Ghostwriter (noun): A person who writes on behalf of another. (This captures one specific action of the character.)

Related Idioms

• "To have a nose like Cyrano's": To have a very large or prominent nose.
  • He was teased in school for having a nose like Cyrano's.

Noun

1. a French soldier and dramatist remembered chiefly for fighting many duels (often over the size of his nose); was immortalized in 1897 in a play by Edmond Rostand (1619-1655)