gongorism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowLiterary / Academic
Quick answer
What does “gongorism” mean?
An excessively ornate and complex style of writing, characterized by strained metaphors, elaborate syntax, and obscure vocabulary.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An excessively ornate and complex style of writing, characterized by strained metaphors, elaborate syntax, and obscure vocabulary.
More broadly, any artistic or rhetorical style that is considered overly elaborate, convoluted, and difficult to understand, prioritizing intricate form over clear meaning. It can be used metaphorically to describe unnecessarily complicated procedures or explanations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both varieties; the term is confined to literary/academic contexts. No spelling or grammatical variations.
Connotations
Universally carries the same connotations of elaborate, potentially excessive ornamentation in language.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties, with a slight potential edge in British English due to historical literary scholarship traditions, but this is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “gongorism” in a Sentence
[Author/Text] is marked by gongorism.The [prose/poetry] lapses into gongorism.Critics denounced the [work's/style's] gongorism.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gongorism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The poet's later work begins to gongorise, losing its earlier directness.
American English
- The author's prose gongorizes to the point of obscurity.
adverb
British English
- The description was written gongoristically, with every noun coupled to an improbable adjective.
American English
- He wrote gongoristically, prioritising sound over sense.
adjective
British English
- His gongoristic tendencies were evident in the poem's labyrinthine metaphors.
American English
- The passage's gongoresque flourishes puzzled the modern reader.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, comparative literature, and studies of Spanish Golden Age poetry to describe a specific stylistic movement or its imitators.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
May appear in advanced rhetoric or stylistics as a category of figurative language use.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gongorism”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gongorism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gongorism”
- Misspelling as 'gongorismus' or 'gongorianism'.
- Using it as a general synonym for 'bad writing' rather than a specific style of ornate, convoluted writing.
- Confusing it with 'euphuism' (English-specific ornate style) without noting its Spanish origin.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is typically a criticism, implying style has overpowered clarity and substance. However, in academic analysis, it can be used neutrally to classify a historical style.
While coined for literature, it can be used metaphorically for any communication or artistic expression that is unnecessarily convoluted and ornate, such as legal documents, architectural criticism, or even music.
Both denote ornate style. Euphuism refers specifically to the English prose style of John Lyly (1580s), using balanced antithesis and alliteration from classical and natural history. Gongorism refers to the Spanish poetic style of Góngora, using complex syntax, hyperbaton, and mythological/Latinate vocabulary.
No, it is a highly specialised term. You will encounter it almost exclusively in literary criticism, particularly related to the Spanish Baroque period or in comparative studies of ornate literary styles.
An excessively ornate and complex style of writing, characterized by strained metaphors, elaborate syntax, and obscure vocabulary.
Gongorism is usually literary / academic in register.
Gongorism: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡɒŋɡərɪz(ə)m/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡɑːŋɡərɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a GONG being struck with such a complex, ORnate rhythm that it becomes confusing – that's GONG-OR-ism.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS DECORATION / WRITING IS WEAVING (an overly intricate tapestry)
Practice
Quiz
Gongorism is primarily associated with which language and century?