ENGLISH
REFERENCE

esque

part.
C1 Advanced US //ˈɛsk// es·que

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.


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.

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