edwardian
/ed'wɔ:djən/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Relating to the era of King Edward VII: Pertaining to the historical period, cultural styles, or social attitudes associated with the reign of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom (1901-1910).
- Characteristic of the early 20th century: Describing the distinctive fashion, architecture, design, and lifestyle of the upper classes in Britain during the years before the First World War.
Noun:
- A person from the Edwardian era: Someone who lived during, or whose style is characteristic of, the reign of Edward VII.
- A person with Edwardian characteristics: Someone who embodies the perceived elegance, formality, or attitudes of that period.
Examples of Usage
Adjective:
- The house featured beautiful Edwardian architecture with large bay windows.
- She collects Edwardian jewelry, particularly pieces from the early 1900s.
- The novel explores the strict Edwardian social conventions of the time.
Noun:
- My great-grandfather was a true Edwardian; he always wore a suit and pocket watch.
- The exhibition compares the lives of Edwardians from different social classes.
Advanced Usage
"Edwardian elegance": Refers to the perceived sophistication, opulence, and refined style of the period, especially in fashion and interior design.
- The ballroom was restored to its original Edwardian elegance.
"Late Edwardian": Often used to describe the period from 1901 up to the outbreak of World War I in 1914, acknowledging that the era's cultural influence extended beyond the king's death in 1910.
- The play is set in a late Edwardian country house on the eve of the Great War.
Variants and Related Words
- Edwardiana (noun, plural): Objects, artifacts, or collectibles from the Edwardian period.
- The antique shop specializes in Edwardiana.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Pre-war (specifically pre-WWI), Belle Époque (in a broader European context), early 20th-century.
- Noun: None are direct synonyms, but contextually: a person of that era, a pre-war figure.
Notes on Different Meanings
- The term primarily has a historical and stylistic meaning. It is not used to describe modern things unless making a direct comparison.
- While strictly defined by the reign of Edward VII (1901-1910), the "Edwardian era" in cultural and social history is often considered to span from the late 1890s to 1914.
Adjective
- of or relating to or characteristic of the era of Edward VII in England
- Edwardian furniture
Noun
- someone belonging to (or as if belonging to) the era of Edward VII