Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun One who indulges in persiflage; a banterer; a quiz.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun One who indulges in persiflage; a banterer; a quiz.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun One who participates in light, playful talk or
banter orpersiflage .
Etymologies
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Examples
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French are by nature a kindly people, with this one proviso, that, though every Frenchman on earth is more or less a _persifleur_, you must never practise the art upon himself.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine - Volume 55, No. 343, May 1844 Various
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Wilde was much better at showing off than at revealing himself, and, as the comedy of showing off is much more delightful than the solemn vanity of it, he was naturally happiest as a wit and persifleur.
The Art of Letters Robert Lynd 1914
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Albert de Chantonnays, fierce or tender, gay or sad, a poet or a soldier -- a light persifleur, who had passed through the mill, and had emerged hard and shining, or a young man of soul, capable of high ideals.
The Last Hope Henry Seton Merriman 1882
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There were a dozen Albert de Chantonnays, fierce or tender, gay or sad, a poet or a soldier -- a light persifleur, who had passed through the mill, and had emerged hard and shining, or a young man of soul, capable of high ideals.
The Last Hope Henry Seton Merriman 1882
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Such things have not been possible in English since Swift, and the _persifleur_ Heine cannot offer the same excuse of savage cynicism that might be pleaded for the Irishman.
Among My Books First Series James Russell Lowell 1855
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They feel withal that, if _persiflage_ be the great thing, there never was such a _persifleur_.
Sartor Resartus, and On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History Thomas Carlyle 1838
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Chatelet is the more frequent victim of our _persifleur_.
Literary Character of Men of Genius Drawn from Their Own Feelings and Confessions Isaac Disraeli 1807
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However, the _persifleur_ declares they were ciphers "en société," adding no value to the number, and to which their learned writings bear no reference.
Literary Character of Men of Genius Drawn from Their Own Feelings and Confessions Isaac Disraeli 1807
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A Madame de Staël, the _persifleur_ in office of Madame Du Deffand, has copiously narrated the whole affair.
Literary Character of Men of Genius Drawn from Their Own Feelings and Confessions Isaac Disraeli 1807
mialuthien commented on the word persifleur
persifleur – a person who indulges in persiflage: one given to frivolous banter especially about matters usually given serious consideration
July 26, 2008