ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bohemian

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //boʊˈhimiən// UK //bəʊhˈiːmiən// bo·hemi·an Archaic

adj. relating to a free-spirited, artistic way of life that values creativity over money or social rules. You use this to describe people who dress or live in a unique, unconventional style.

adj. characterized by an unconventional, artistic lifestyle that prioritizes creative freedom and intellectual curiosity over material success or social convention. Often used as a noun to refer to a person with these traits.


SIMPLE

She has a very bohemian style of dress.

CONTEXTUAL

The artist lived a bohemian life in a small, cluttered apartment filled with paintings and books.

COMPLEX

The bohemian quarter of the city attracted writers and musicians who rejected traditional career paths in favor of creative expression and communal living.

Synonyms
Origin

From Bohemia + -ian. In sense of Romani and by association, marginalized artists, from French bohémien (“person from Bohemia, Romani”), from Bohême (“Bohemia”). Regarding the sense evolution, compare gypsy.

Usage

As an adjective, it modifies nouns related to lifestyle, art, or appearance. As a noun, it is countable.

© 2026 English Reference