savonarola
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Proper noun 1. A historical figure: Girolamo Savonarola was an Italian Dominican friar, preacher, and reformer in Renaissance Florence. He is known for his fiery sermons against moral corruption, his brief political influence, and his execution.
Examples of Usage
- Proper noun:
- The sermons of Savonarola called for a puritanical renewal of the city.
- Many artworks were destroyed during the Bonfire of the Vanities, an event associated with Savonarola.
- The rule of Savonarola in Florence was intense but short-lived.
Advanced Usage
- Used attributively: The name can be used adjectivally to describe things related to his ideas or period.
- The city experienced a Savonarolan zeal for austerity.
- He was a Savonarola-like figure, preaching doom and repentance.
Variants and Related Words
- Savonarolan (adjective): Pertaining to or characteristic of Savonarola or his teachings, especially their austere and puritanical nature.
Synonyms
- Reformer
- Preacher
- Ascetic
- Firebrand (in the context of a provocative speaker)
Related Phrases and Concepts
- Bonfire of the Vanities: A historical event in 1497 where supporters of Savonarola burned objects deemed to promote vanity and sin (e.g., mirrors, cosmetics, fine clothes, books, and artworks).
- Dominican Order: The Roman Catholic religious order to which Savonarola belonged.
- Theocracy: A form of government in which religious authorities rule. Florence was effectively a theocracy under Savonarola's influence from 1494 to 1498.
Noun
- Italian religious and political reformer; a Dominican friar in Florence who preached against sin and corruption and gained a large following; he expelled the Medici from Florence but was later excommunicated and executed for criticizing the Pope (1452-1498)