List of Words That End in ESQUE

The -esque generally stands for: 

  • in the manner or style of: like or -ish,
  • similar in style.

Here is a complete list of words that end with ESQUE. Some ‘esque’ words are no longer used in modern literature. Therefore, we haven’t included those here. 

Adamesque

Definition: of architecture and furniture — derived from the style of the brothers Adam.

Aiguillesque

Definition: Having the shape of an aiguille — a sharp-pointed pinnacle of rock.

Alhambresque

Definition: Made or decorated after the fanciful style of the ornamentation in the Alhambra — the palace of the Moorish kings at Granada, Spain.

Arabesque

Definition: 

  • an ornament or style that employs flower, foliage, or fruit and sometimes animal and figural outlines to produce an intricate pattern of interlaced lines.
  • a position in ballet in which the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg held out straight behind.
  • an elaborate or intricate pattern, a type of design where lines wind around each other.

Arboresque

Definition: like a tree.

Barbaresque

Definition: barbaric in style.

Byzantinesque

Definition: In the Byzantine style.

Blottesque

Definition: Painted with heavy touches or blot like brushwork.

Bramantesque

Definition: of or relating to a Renaissance style of architecture marked by classical forms.

Burlesque

Definition:

  • Literature: a literary or dramatic work that seeks to ridicule by means of grotesque exaggeration or comic imitation.
  • Mockery usually by caricature.

Carnivalesque

Definition:

  • Suggestive of a carnival. Example: a carnivalesque celebration.
  • Marked by an often mocking or satirical challenge to authority and the traditional social hierarchy. Example: a carnivalesque protest.

Chivalresque

Definition:

  • of, relating to, or befitting chivalry.
  • Having the spirit or manners of chivalry. Example: a chivalresque romance.

Churrigueresque

Definition: of or relating to a Spanish baroque architectural style characterized by elaborate surface decoration or its Latin American adaptation.

Cigaresque

Definition: featured by a cigar.

Dantesque

Definition: of, relating to, or characteristic or suggestive of Dante or his writings, especially: having a hellish or bizarre quality.

Dantonesque

Definition: resembling or in the style of Danton.

Dureresque

Definition: resembling in style or manner the work of the artist Dürer noted for his accurate and delicate drawing and his delineation of character, especially in his engravings which are characterized by profuse and literal detail.

Gardenesque

Definition: of, relating to, or resembling a garden.

Giantesque

Definition: having the characteristics of a giant.

Gigantesque

Definition: of enormous or grotesquely large proportions -gigantic.

Giottesque

Definition: resembling the broad and simple style of the painter Giotto.

Goblinesque

Definition: resembling or suggestive of a goblin in appearance or behavior.

Gongoresque

Definition: of or relating to the poet Góngora or to Gongorism.

Grotesque

Definition: 

  • a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature.
  • a piece of work in this style.

Heinesque

Definition: of, relating to, or resembling the style of Heine.

Hugoesque

Definition: of, relating to, or characteristic of Victor Hugo or his works.

Humoresque

Definition: a musical composition typically whimsical or fanciful in character.

Japanesque

Definition: Japanese style.

Junoesque

Definition: marked by stately or voluptuous beauty and generous proportions.

Kafkaesque

Definition: of, relating to, or suggestive of Franz Kafka or his writings, especially having a nightmarishly complex, bizarre, or illogical quality.

Leonardesque

Definition: of, relating to, or suggesting Leonardo or the subjects or style of his paintings.

Lincolnesque

Definition: resembling or resembling that of Abraham Lincoln.

Lionesque

Definition: having the characteristics of a lion.

Lombardesque

Definition: of or relating to any of several Italian Renaissance painters named Lombardi or Lombardo.

Londonesque

Definition: characteristic of London.

Madrigalesque

Definition: relating to or having the characteristics of a madrigal.

Mauresque

Variant spelling of moresque.

Michelangelesque

Definition: characteristic of or resembling Michelangelo or his work which is preeminent for the grandeur of conception, dramatic action, and technical mastery of execution.

Moresque

Definition: having the characteristics of Moorish art, architecture, or decoration.

Naturalesque

Definition: faithfully imitating nature – conforming closely to natural details.

Novelesque

Definition: suitable for or resembling a novel.

Opalesque

Definition: suggesting opal – opalescent.

Peruginesque

Definition: resembling or suggestive of the paintings of the early Renaissance Italian artist Perugino.

Picaresque

Definition: of, relating to, or characteristic of rogues or rascals, specifically relating to or being a type of prose fiction of Spanish origin in modern literature in which the principal character is a rogue or vagabond.

Picturesque

Definition: like a pictureresembling or suggesting a painted scene.

Plateresque

Definition: relating to or being a 16th-century Spanish architectural style distinguished by a wealth and richness of ornamentation suggestive of silver plate.

Raffaelesque

Definition: variant spelling of Raphaelesque.

Raphaelesque

Definition: done in or resembling the style of the painter Raphael.

Rembrandtesque

Definition: resembling the style or manner of the Dutch painter Rembrandt (as in his use of strongly contrasting light and shade).

Romanesque

Definition: of, relating to, or constructed in the Romanesque style or architecture.

Sculpturesque

Definition:  done in the manner of or resembling sculpture: resembling a statue in amplitude or clearness of outline.

Shelleyesque

Definition: of, relating to, or characteristic of the poet Shelley or his writings.

Statuesque

Definition: resembling a statue.

Titianesque

Definition: after the manner of or suggesting the style of the Venetian painter Titian noted for his breadth of treatment, realism, and rich but subdued coloring.

Tudoresque

Definition: of, relating to, or resembling the style of the Tudor period.

Turneresque

Definition: resembling or suggesting the work of the painter — Turner — having brilliant color effects in the manner of Turner’s paintings of landscapes and seascapes.

Unpicturesque

Definition: not picturesque.

Wagneresque

Definition:  resembling or suggesting in style and treatment the work of Wagner.

Whitmanesque

Definition: of, relating to, or resembling Whitman or his literary style.

Zolaesque

Definition: of, relating to, or suggestive of Zola or his writings.

Even though the following -esque words are used in the English literature, these are not widely known:

  • Alpinesque
  • Aprilesque
  • Architecturesque
  • Bararesque
  • Belshazzaresque
  • Berninesque
  • Byronesque
  • Boudoiresque
  • Bourbonesque
  • Brontesque
  • Browningesque
  • Buffoonesque
  • Carlylesque
  • Cathedralesque
  • Cezannesque
  • Corinthianesque
  • Corsesque
  • Dragonesque
  • Formalesque
  • Gaminesque
  • Germanesque
  • Gipsyesque
  • Gypsyesque
  • Giraffesque
  • Gnomesque
  • Gorgonesque
  • Gorkiesque
  • Grandesque
  • Griffinesque
  • Grolieresque
  • Haloesque
  • Harlequinesque
  • Indianesque
  • Irvingesque
  • Italianesque
  • Iargonesque
  • Jonahesque
  • Jumboesque
  • Latinesque
  • Macabresque
  • Marlowesque
  • Normanesque
  • Ossianesque
  • Pedantesque
  • Petrarchesque
  • Platonesque
  • Poetesque
  • Preburlesque
  • Robotesque
  • Rodinesque
  • Satyresque
  • Seriogrotesque
  • Sermonesque
  • Sibylesque
  • Sylvanesque
  • Simiesque
  • Soldatesque
  • Sultanesque
  • Swinburnesque
  • Tauroesque
  • Teutonesque
  • Thackerayesque
  • Titanesque
  • Tornadoesque
  • Trufflesque
  • Tudesque
  • Turbanesque
  • Ungrotesque
  • Unpicaresque
  • Unstatuesque
  • Welleresque

Reference Dictionaries: