Definition

Proper noun: * Sir William Schwenck Gilbert: An English dramatist, librettist, poet, and illustrator, best known for his collaboration with composer Sir Arthur Sullivan. Together, they created the famous series of fourteen comic operettas known as the Savoy operas.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The witty lyrics in The Mikado were written by Sir William Gilbert.
  • Sir William Gilbert's partnership with Arthur Sullivan is legendary in musical theatre.
  • A biography of Sir William Gilbert details his life beyond the operettas.

Advanced Usage

• "Gilbertian" (adjective): Pertaining to or characteristic of the style of Sir William Gilbert, often describing a topsy-turvy, absurdly logical, or satirical situation.
  • The political scandal had a distinctly Gilbertian quality to it.

Variants and Related Words

• W. S. Gilbert: A common abbreviated form of his name.
• Gilbert and Sullivan: The collective name for the collaborative works of the duo, often used as a cultural reference.
  • We went to see a Gilbert and Sullivan production.

Synonyms

• Librettist: A writer of the text (libretto) for an opera or musical.
• Dramatist: A playwright.

Related Phrases

• The Savoy Operas: The collective term for the operas created by Gilbert and Sullivan for the Savoy Theatre.
• Topsy-turvydom: A term often used to describe the absurd, inverted world common in Gilbert's plots.

Noun

1. a librettist who was a collaborator with Sir Arthur Sullivan in a famous series of comic operettas (1836-1911)