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.
Table of Contents
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 picture – resembling 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:
