Definition of Donnish

1. Adjective. Marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects.

Exact synonyms: Academic, Pedantic
Similar to: Scholarly
Derivative terms: Pedant, Pedantry

Definition of Donnish

1. Adjective. (context: of a person) Bookish, theoretical and pedantic, as opposed to practical. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Donnish

1. scholarly [adj] - See also: scholarly

Lexicographical Neighbors of Donnish

donnat
donnats
donned
donnee
donnees
donner
donnerd
donnered
donnert
donnes
donnicker
donnickers
donniker
donnikers
donning
donnish (current term)
donnishly
donnishness
donnishnesses
donnism
donnisms
donnot
donnots
donnybrook
donnybrooks
donor
donor card
donor splice junction
donorcycle

Literary usage of Donnish

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A Supplementary English Glossary by Thomas Lewis Owen Davies (1881)
"donnish, pertaining to a don. University tutors, beads of bouses, &c. are called duns, and donnish is generally used in reference to this. ..."

2. A History of English Literature by William Robertson Nicoll, Thomas Seccombe (1907)
"In other respects he was almost preternaturally donnish—as dons were in the sweet simplicity of the ..."

3. A History of English Literature by William Robertson Nicoll, Thomas Seccombe (1907)
"In other respects he was almost preternaturally donnish—as dons were In the sweet simplicity of the ..."

4. Daniel Deronda by George Eliot (1876)
"... of a don and write donnish books, it's hardly worth while for him to make a Greek and Latin ..."

5. George Eliot's Works by George Eliot (1894)
"The truth is, unless a man can get the prestige and income of a Don and write donnish books, it's hardly worth while for him to make a Greek and Latin ..."

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