bohemia

Thân thiện

A painter lives a simple life in a bohemian studio.

Definition

Noun: 1. A community or social group of artists, writers, and intellectuals who adopt an unconventional lifestyle, often characterized by free-spiritedness, artistic pursuits, and a rejection of mainstream societal norms. 2. A historical region and former kingdom in central Europe, now forming the western part of the Czech Republic.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Social Group):

  • In the 1920s, Paris was a center of bohemia, attracting painters and poets from around the world.
  • She lived in a bohemia of musicians and actors, far from the conservative values of her hometown.
  • The neighborhood's cheap rents and tolerant atmosphere fostered a vibrant artistic bohemia.

• Noun (Geographical/Historical Region):

  • Prague is the capital city of the historical region of Bohemia.
  • Bohemia was a kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire for many centuries.
  • The crown jewels of Bohemia are displayed in Prague Castle.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used attributively (like an adjective) to describe the associated lifestyle or aesthetic.
  • "They led a bohemian existence in a small coastal town." (Note: 'bohemian' is the adjectival form, listed separately below).
  • "Her apartment had a bohemia vibe, filled with tapestries and mismatched furniture."

Variants and Related Words

• Bohemian (noun): A person, typically an artist or writer, who lives an unconventional life.
  • The café was a popular meeting place for local bohemians.
• Bohemian (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of a socially unconventional artistic lifestyle.
  • She decorated her room in a bohemian style.

Synonyms

• (For the social group): Avant-garde, counterculture, artistic community, the underground.
• (For the region): Historical region, former kingdom, province.

Notes on Different Meanings

The two primary meanings are distinct: 1. The social/cultural meaning derives from the historical (and often stereotyped) belief that Romani people (once incorrectly called "Bohemians" in French) led a nomadic, unconventional life. This was later applied to artists who lived similarly. 2. The geographical/historical meaning refers to the specific Central European territory. The two meanings are connected etymologically but refer to completely different concepts in modern usage. Context always clarifies which meaning is intended.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a group of artists and writers with real or pretended artistic or intellectual aspirations and usually an unconventional life style
2. a historical area and former kingdom in the Czech Republic

Từ đồng nghĩa

• bohemia