Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Simple and kind.
- adjective Meant or understood in an idiosyncratic or unusual way.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Relating to or resembling Mr. Pickwick, the hero of Dickens's “Pickwick Papers.”
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
arbitrary ormeaningless (of the usage of a word or phrase) - adjective medicine Having, or relating to,
Pickwickian syndrome . - adjective Of or relating to The Pickwick Papers, its storyline, or its characters (chiefly Mr Pickwick himself).
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word Pickwickian.
Examples
-
Most physicians are familiar with the so-called Pickwickian syndrome, which, generally speaking, refers to a child who is both very fat and chronically sleepy.
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems M.D. Richard Ferber 2006
-
Most physicians are familiar with the so-called Pickwickian syndrome, which, generally speaking, refers to a child who is both very fat and chronically sleepy.
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems M.D. Richard Ferber 2006
-
Another common disorder that was highlighted was obesity hypoventilation syndrome (also known as Pickwickian syndrome).
Top Headlines 2009
-
The northerners do not understand that these expressions are only meant in a sort of "Pickwickian" sense; hence the error.
-
Sir Arthur's music, too, is highly "Pickwickian," and the joint effort of the two humorists is infinitely diverting.
Bardell v. Pickwick Charles Dickens 1841
-
'bloody shirt' is only a kind of Pickwickian battle cry.
-
If it's Christmas after the Wall Street crash, then a plump, Pickwickian stagecoach driver is thinking of roast goose and a "merrie" time.
-
The unworthy thought crossed my mind that her present misbehaviour rendered her eminently blackmailable where Popplewell was concerned - but it was a purely Pickwickian reflection, you understand.
THE NUMBERS 2010
-
It also tapped into the lighter side of the dour-looking Mr. Safire: a Pickwickian quibbler who gleefully pounced on gaffes, inexactitudes, neologisms, misnomers, solecisms and perversely peccant puns, like "the president's populism" and "the first lady's momulism."
-
The Timesobit is written strongly enough in the Safire style--in one case he's described as "a Pickwickian quibbler who gleefully pounced on gaffes, inexactitudes, neologisms, misnomers, solecisms and perversely peccant puns"--that it makes you wonder if he drafted it himself.
Shelfari: Omnivoracious 2009
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.