Definition

1. Adjective:
   • In the manner of Voltaire: Characteristic of, relating to, or resembling the style, ideas, or attitudes of the French writer and philosopher Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet). This often implies a style marked by wit, skepticism, criticism of authority and intolerance, and advocacy for civil liberties and reason.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The essay's voltarian satire brilliantly exposed the hypocrisy of the institution. (The essay's satire, in the manner of Voltaire, brilliantly exposed the hypocrisy of the institution.)
  • He adopted a voltarian perspective, questioning dogma with sharp irony. (He adopted a perspective characteristic of Voltaire, questioning dogma with sharp irony.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in literary or intellectual criticism to describe works or thinkers that echo Voltaire's particular blend of philosophical engagement and literary flair.
  • The playwright's voltarian wit made the serious subject both accessible and entertaining. (The playwright's wit, reminiscent of Voltaire's style, made the serious subject both accessible and entertaining.)

Variants and Related Words

• Voltairian (adj): An alternative, more common spelling for 'voltarian', with identical meaning.
  • Her Voltairian critique of social norms was both feared and admired.
• Voltairean (adj): Another accepted spelling variant.
• Voltaire (n): The proper noun referring to the 18th-century Enlightenment writer and philosopher.

Synonyms

• Satirical: Using humor, irony, or ridicule to criticize.
• Skeptical: Inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions.
• Enlightenment: Characteristic of the 18th-century intellectual movement emphasizing reason and individualism (broader context).

Notes on Usage

• The word 'voltarian' (and its variants) is a specialized adjective derived from a proper name (an eponym). It is primarily used in formal, academic, or literary contexts rather than in everyday conversation.
• It specifically connotes the attributes associated with Voltaire himself, not just general satire or criticism.

Adjective

1. in the manner of Voltaire