mannerism

[ man-uh-riz-uhm ]

noun

1. a habitual or characteristic manner, mode, or way of doing something; distinctive quality or style, as in behavior or speech:

   He has an annoying mannerism of tapping his fingers while he talks. They copied his literary mannerisms but always lacked his ebullience.

2. marked or excessive adherence to an unusual or a particular manner, especially if affected:

   Natural courtesy is a world apart from snobbish mannerism.

3. (usually initial capital letter) a style in the fine arts developed principally in Europe during the 16th century, chiefly characterized by a complex perspectival system, elongation of forms, strained gestures or poses of figures, and intense, often strident color.

mannerism

/ ˈmænəˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. a distinctive and individual gesture or trait; idiosyncrasy
2. often capital a principally Italian movement in art and architecture between the High Renaissance and Baroque periods (1520–1600) that sought to represent an ideal of beauty rather than natural images of it, using characteristic distortion and exaggeration of human proportions, perspective, etc
3. adherence to a distinctive or affected manner, esp in art or literature

Derived Forms

• ˌmannerˈistic, adjective
• ˌmannerˈistically, adverb
• ˈmannerist, noun

Other Words From

• manner·ist noun
• manner·istic adjective
• manner·isti·cal·ly adverb
• nonman·ner·istic adjective
• semi·manner·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mannerism¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; manner ¹ + -ism

Example Sentences

Her style, which she described as “clear painting,” looks backward to mannerism and forward to futurism and has a high-gloss sheen to it, like the chrome plating of a motorcar.

From New York Times

So much attention is on their similarities in their swings and other mannerism, but the needle and the trash talking is not to be overlooked.

From Seattle Times

To help with the pronunciation, the inaugural show’s poster added a French accent aigu to the final letter — Ceejé — a mannerism that was soon dropped.

From Los Angeles Times

But the real problem that the art world has with Botero lies less in the homogeneity of his production and more in the animated quality of his paintings, a form of modern kitsch mannerism that makes the traditional, art-school-trained eye cringe.

From Los Angeles Times

In his mannerism, expressions and attitude, the host marries the affability and deceptive polish of Tim Matheson's Delta Tau Chi rush chairman Eric "Otter" Stratton with the sloppy, slovenly soul of John Belushi's John "Bluto" Blutarsky.

From Salon

Related Words

• eccentricity
• idiosyncrasy
• quirk
• trait