euphuistic
Adjective: Euphuistic describes a style of writing or speech that is excessively elaborate, ornate, and artificial, characterized by the use of balanced sentences, alliteration, and elaborate figures of speech. It is named after the prose style of John Lyly's Euphues (1579), which was highly fashionable in Elizabethan England.
- (His speech was overly ornamented and artificial.)
- (The writing was elaborate and stylized.)
- (The ornate style is perceived as unnatural by contemporary audiences.)
"Euphuistic affectation": a deliberate and exaggerated use of the euphuistic style for effect.
- The politician's euphuistic affectation was intended to impress the audience, but it only made him seem pretentious. (The artificial ornamentation was used to create a false impression of sophistication.)
"Euphuistic period": the historical period (late 16th century) when this style was popular.
- The euphuistic period in English literature is marked by a fascination with symmetry and verbal ingenuity. (A specific era of literary fashion.)
Euphuism (noun): the ornate, artificial style itself.
- Euphuism is often compared to the later style of "preciosity" in French literature. (The noun form of the concept.)
Euphuist (noun): a writer or speaker who uses the euphuistic style.
- John Lyly is considered the most famous euphuist of the Elizabethan era. (A person who employs the style.)
- Ornate: highly decorated or embellished.
- Flowery: full of elaborate or literary expressions.
- Grandiloquent: pompous or extravagant in language.
- Manneristic: characterized by excessive adherence to a particular style.
- Plain: simple and unadorned in style.
- Natural: unaffected and spontaneous in expression.
- Terse: brief and to the point.
To speak with forked tongue: to speak deceitfully or in a deliberately confusing way (though euphuistic speech is not necessarily deceptive, it can be similarly indirect).
- His euphuistic promises sounded like he was speaking with a forked tongue. (Elaborate language hid the true meaning.)
To gild the lily: to unnecessarily embellish something already beautiful.
- Adding more euphuistic flourishes to the poem was like gilding the lily. (Unnecessary ornamentation.)