Too many - esque words in the same passage may seem clumsy and repetitive. An adjective suffix indicating style, manner, resemblance, or distinctive character. What does the suffix -esque mean? Word origin from french, via italian -esco from medieval latin -iscus. While - esque is a useful suffix for adding an artistic or stylistic resemblance to a word, it’s not the only tool in the english language for this purpose. Let’s take a look at how -esquecan be used in some sentences. Learn how to use the -esque suffix to transform nouns into adjectives that describe something similar or in the style of the original noun. Also, the traditional guideline is to use a hyphen before esquewhen adding this su. Find out the etymology, exceptions and differences of -esque from -ish and -like. The new painting maerril bought for our home was almost monet-esquein its beautiful, blurry landscape representation. Powered by oxford languages · esque is a suffix meaning in the style of or resembling. learn how to use it to describe style, aesthetics, mood and genre in your writing, with examples and tips. What does esque mean in a story? Let me simplify. See examples of words with -esque and their meanings. How do you use esque in a sentence? The english language is certainly a playground, and while there are no hard rules against adding -esqueto any word, not every construction will make sense to your listener or reader. It’s a way to show exaggerated imitation. / - esk / add to word list like or in the style of someone or their work: The - esque suffix can transform a regular nouninto an adjective describing something similar to or characteristic of the noun. The new guy’s sense of humor was seinfeld- esque , full of wry observations about everyday life, so i knew we’d hit it off. Candace admired the gothic-esquearchite. When you add - esque to the end of a word, you’re adding the meaning of in the style or manner of or resembling. The old french - esque came from the italian -esco, which was, in turn, derived from the latin -iscus, meaning pertaining to. The suffix is most commonly attached to proper nouns, especially names of people and places, as well as to words referring to artistic styles and periods. See how to use it in sentences and browse nearby words. See full list on grammarist. com Don’t pile on redundant suffixes that mean the same thing as - esque (e. g. , “picturesque-like”). Generally, -esqueis meant to be added to a noun to create an adjective of sorts. Two other suffixes, -ish and -like,perform similar functions but with slightly different connotations. Words like burlesque and grotesque end in - esque , but it’s not a suffix. So, like anything, there are always exceptions. - esque definition: Its powerful transformation capabilities allow you to create an evocative language that paints a vivid picture. So go forth and add some - esque flair to your everyday language. -esque is a suffix that forms adjectives indicating a specified character, manner, style, or resemblance. The suffix has been in use for centuries, going back as far as the beginning of the 1800s. After all, it’s quite shakespeare- esque ! See examples of - esque used in a sentence. Terms like these are borrowed directly from other languages, like italian, where -esco or -escais a more integral part of the word, not just a suffix. The - esque suffix is rooted in the old french - esque and was borrowed into english via french. · -esque is an adjective suffix that means in the manner or style of something. The suffix -esquesuggests a strong or distinctive resemblance, often used when the resembla. The resulting word implies that the object or person described has qualities or features reminiscent of the original noun. You could say a new fantasy book is similar to lord. · the suffix - esque means “like” or “resembling. ” you can add - esque to almost any noun, including proper nouns. So, the next time you want to express a certain style or similarity, consider the – esque suffix. It comes from french and italian and is related to -ish. What does -esque mean in english? It’s a handy tool for creating descriptive, evocative language. But, in this case, there’s a reason!