Standard Lemma guide

Shakespearean

adj · name · noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • shāk-spîrʹē-ən
  • UK: /ʃeɪkˈspɪəɹi.ən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ʃeɪkˈspɪɹi.ən/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪəɹiən
  • rhymes with -ɪɹiən
  • CMU ARPABET: SH EY2 K S P IH1 R IY0 AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to, characteristic of, associated with, or suggestive of William Shakespeare (an English playwright), his works, or his authorship, or the time in which he lived.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: literature, media, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Derivative of Shakespeare's works or authorship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Composed of Shakespearean sonnets.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

name

Meaning 4

Shakespearean English.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A scholar of the works of Shakespeare.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A person trained to act in Shakespeare's plays.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective

Meaning 7

of or relating to William Shakespeare or his works

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Shakespearean plays

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Shakespearian

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

a Shakespearean scholar

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Shakespearian

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: scholar, scholarly person, bookman, student

History

Etymology

From Shakespeare + -ean.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: shakespearià — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Chinese Mandarin: 莎士比亞的 /莎士比亚的 (Shāshìbǐyà de) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Chinese Mandarin: 莎士比亞作品的 /莎士比亚作品的 (Shāshìbǐyà zuòpǐn de) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Chinese Mandarin: 莎士比亞風格的 /莎士比亚风格的 (Shāshìbǐyà fēnggé de) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Czech: shakespearovský — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Dutch: van Shakespeare — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Dutch: Shakespearein — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Esperanto: ŝekspira — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Finnish: Shakespearen — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • French: shakespearien — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Greek: σαιξπηρικός (saixpirikós) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Hungarian: shakespeare-i — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Italian: scespiriano — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Italian: shakespeariano — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Japanese: シェークスピアの (Shēkusupia no) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Macedonian: шекспировски (šekspirovski) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Macedonian: шекспирски (šekspirski) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Polish: Szekspirowski — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Polish: szekspirowski — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Portuguese: shakespeariano — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Russian: шекспи́ровский (šekspírovskij) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Russian: шекспи́рский (šekspírskij) — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Serbo-Croatian: шѐкспӣрскӣ — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Serbo-Croatian: шекспирѝја̄нскӣ — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Serbo-Croatian: šèkspīrskī — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Serbo-Croatian: šekspirìjānskī — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
  • Spanish: shakespeariano — pertaining to Shakespeare or his works
Real reading context

Shakespearean in complete knowledge articles

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