Word
esque
Phoneticses·que
/ˈɛsk/
Definition
part. in the style of a certain person, place, or thing. You add this to the end of a name or word to say that something is similar to it.
part. a suffixal element used to form adjectives meaning 'in the style or manner of'. Typically attached to proper nouns or iconic figures to denote stylistic imitation.
Examples
“The building has a very Roman-esque design.”
“The director's latest film features several Hitchcock-esque suspense sequences that keep the audience guessing until the final frame.”
“While the author's prose is certainly Dickens-esque in its density, it lacks the social satire that defined the Victorian era's most famous novels.”
Examples
simple
“The building has a very Roman-esque design.”
contextual
“The director's latest film features several Hitchcock-esque suspense sequences that keep the audience guessing until the final frame.”
complex
“While the author's prose is certainly Dickens-esque in its density, it lacks the social satire that defined the Victorian era's most famous novels.”
Usage
Usually attached to a noun with a hyphen, though common words like 'picturesque' or 'statuesque' are written as one word.
Pitfall
The movie was very Spielbergly.
The movie was very Spielberg-esque.
Learners often try to use '-ly' or '-ish' for stylistic imitation, but '-esque' is the standard way to describe the specific style of a famous person or artist.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/esque