ˈyüfyəˌwizəm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Euphu es, character in the prose romances Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit (1579) and Euphues and his England (1580) by John Lyly died 1606 English author + English -ism
1. : an affected style of conversation and writing fashionable in the time of Elizabeth I and characterized by antithesis, alliteration, similes, and a pervading effort after elegance ; also : an example of such style
2. : artificial and excessive elegance of language : high-flown diction
• eu·phu·ist -_wə̇st noun -s
• eu·phu·is·tic | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷|wistik or eu·phu·is·ti·cal -tə̇kəl adjective
• eu·phu·is·ti·cal·ly -k(ə)lē adverb