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hemingway: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

B2
UK/ˈhɛmɪŋweɪ/US/ˈhɛmɪŋˌweɪ/

Formal, literary, academic, biographical.

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Quick answer

What does “hemingway” mean?

Ernest Hemingway (1898–1961), a famous American novelist and short-story writer.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

Ernest Hemingway (1898–1961), a famous American novelist and short-story writer.

Refers to the man, his body of work, his distinctive literary style (terse, economical, muscular prose), or things associated with him (e.g., a style of furniture, a type of adventurous lifestyle).

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant difference in core meaning. Slightly higher cultural familiarity in the US, but he is a major global literary figure.

Connotations

Connotes literary modernism, masculinity, adventure, war reporting, minimalism, and often a tragic, hard-drinking lifestyle.

Frequency

Similar frequency in both varieties within literary/academic contexts.

Grammar

How to Use “hemingway” in a Sentence

[author] Hemingway wrote [object][subject] is compared to Hemingway[subject] studies Hemingway

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
Ernest HemingwayHemingway novelHemingway styleHemingway biography
medium
like Hemingwayin the style of HemingwayHemingway's ParisHemingway hero
weak
Hemingway fanHemingway collectionHemingway essayHemingway influence

Examples

Examples of “hemingway” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

  • The journalist's prose was distinctly Hemingway in its stark realism.
  • They rented a Hemingway-style villa in Cuba.

American English

  • He has a Hemingway beard and a love for deep-sea fishing.
  • The bar had a Hemingway vibe with its dark wood and mounted marlin.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare, except in publishing or tourism (e.g., Hemingway tours in Key West).

Academic

Common in literature, American studies, and journalism courses.

Everyday

Used by educated speakers discussing books, writing, or history.

Technical

Used in literary criticism and biographical studies.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “hemingway”

Strong

Papa (his nickname)the old man (reference to his novel)

Neutral

the authorthe novelistthe writer

Weak

literary giantmodernist writer

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “hemingway”

verbose writerflorid stylist

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “hemingway”

  • Misspelling as 'Hemmingway' (double 'm').
  • Using uncapitalised 'hemingway'.
  • Using it as a common noun instead of a proper name.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, 'Hemingway' is not used as a standard verb. The derived adjective 'Hemingwayesque' is common.

'The Sun Also Rises', 'A Farewell to Arms', 'For Whom the Bell Tolls', and 'The Old Man and the Sea'.

He used short, simple sentences, concrete vocabulary, and omission (the 'iceberg theory') to create powerful subtext.

It's informal but understood, e.g., 'I'm reading a Hemingway.' More formal is 'a Hemingway novel' or 'a book by Hemingway.'

Ernest Hemingway (1898–1961), a famous American novelist and short-story writer.

Hemingway is usually formal, literary, academic, biographical. in register.

Hemingway: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɛmɪŋweɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɛmɪŋˌweɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “Pull a Hemingway (engage in stereotypically masculine, adventurous behaviour)”
  • “Hemingwayesque (in the style of Hemingway)”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Imagine a HEM (edge of fabric) being ING (present participle) and weighing (WEIGH) heavily—like his heavy, meaningful prose.

Conceptual Metaphor

HEMINGWAY IS A STYLE OF PROSE (e.g., 'His writing is very Hemingway.'). HEMINGWAY IS A LIFESTYLE (e.g., 'He lived a Hemingway existence.').

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The author's prose, with its short sentences and lack of sentimentality, was directly inspired by Hemingway.
Multiple Choice

What is 'Hemingwayesque' most likely to describe?