Parnassian

[ pahr-nas-ee-uhn ]

adjective

1. pertaining to Mount Parnassus.
2. pertaining to poetry.
3. of, relating to, or noting a school of French poets of the latter half of the 19th century, characterized chiefly by a belief in art for art's sake, by an emphasis on metrical form, and by the repression of emotive elements: so called from Le Parnasse Contemporain, the title of their first collection of poems, published in 1866.

noun

1. a member of the Parnassian school of French poets.

Parnassian

¹

/ pɑːˈnæsɪən /

noun

1. one of a school of French poets of the late 19th century who wrote verse that emphasized metrical form and restricted emotion

adjective

1. of or relating to the Parnassians or their poetry

Parnassian

²

/ pɑːˈnæsɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Mount Parnassus or poetry

Derived Forms

• Parˈnassianˌism, noun

Other Words From

• Par·nassi·an·ism Par·nassism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Parnassian¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin Parnassi(us) “of Parnassus ” + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of Parnassian¹

C19: from French parnassien, from Parnasse Parnassus ; from Le Parnasse contemporain, title of an anthology produced by these poets

Example Sentences

So, I got “I Am Charlotte Simmons” from the library, expecting Parnassian enlightenment about the four years ahead.

From Washington Post

His individual voice materializes in settings of Paul Bourget, Théodore de Banville, Baudelaire, Verlaine, and Mallarmé—poets who ranged from Parnassian classicism to Symbolist esotericism.

From The New Yorker

I was delighted to observe that the comely young lady of such exquisite voice I had seen previously was returned, this maiden attended like one of the Parnassian sisters by a company of other songstresses.

From Literature

Karen Hankins of Crandall caught a nice-sized Rocky Mountain Parnassian early in the Park County count.

From Washington Times

Head for higher elevations at the top of Tower Mountain for the best chance to find a mountain parnassian.

From Washington Times